Taking Destiny's Strings
by Fire and fairy dust
Summary: In a small kingdom, the baker's daughter Marinette is intent on making her parents proud of her. But when financial burdens hit, she decides to take a leap and become a royal guard in the neighbouring kingdom. With tales of magic and formidable opponents facing her, is this the life that Marinette dreamed of? And is the prince really who he claims to be? Fairytale au.
1. Chapter 1

**AAAAAA NEW STORY!**

**Ok, so a little bit of an intro... this is a fairytale type of au. I've loved seeing comic dubs of Cinderella Marinette and fairytale versions of Miraculous Ladybug and have wanted to read some of these kind of fanfics. Only makes sense I write one of my own, right? I hope this works well and everyone enjoys it! **

**I didn't want a typical type of fairytale story, so I've decided to take little snippets of inspiration from fairytales and hopefully, combined them into something new and interesting. **

**Side-note****: to better communicate with all of you, I have made a twitter account! The idea is to give some indication of when a new chapter will be released and perhaps hints of upcoming things. My twitter is fireandfairy (cus twitter won't allow the dust at the end). So check it out if you'd like!**

**Anyway, on with the story!**

* * *

A blue sky with a few speckled clouds. A hint of sunshine beating down upon the rooftops. Tiny pinpricks of dust motes swirled in the air.

All was busy in the town village. People scurrying about, carrying their tasks with them and numerous errands to run meant there was only little chit-chat in the markets. The stench of meat would waft over from the butchers while the sweet scent of baked goods would emerge, determined to overpower it. All was well.

In a small house not far away, there was a stark contrast to this scenery. All was quiet. The scent of polished wood was in the air. Birds chirping here and there. The soft sound of water droplets hitting the ground from the bucket propped on the well nearby.

All was silent.

Except, if you listened closely, this was not so.

A little musical murmur could be heard. A giddy, gentle, delicate little melody broke the silence in this small house. Up in the small attic, which looked like a tower on top of the house, this sound could be heard.

It was the sound of a music box.

The gentle 'plink' of sound of the notes colouring the air into a thousand little shards of glass, each a different shade. In the centre of the box, a woman and a man danced in a modest circle as this sweet hum continued, the lady's ballgown sweeping while the gentleman had an arm delicately placed around her waist.

A young woman watched the music box as it continued with its harmonic journey. Her skin was fair, a hint of a blush left on her cheeks. Little tendrils of raven black hair framed her face while the rest of this mane was pulled back in a ponytail. A tint of blue could be seen as the sunlight struck her hair at an angle.

Despite her plain clothes, the lack of gaudy jewellery and ostentatious accessories, the woman exuded beauty. Not the conventional kind perhaps to the onlookers in her village, but it was certainly there. A beauty that radiated from inside that made her already lovely features even more exquisite.

This young woman watched the lady and man dance together, a dreamy gaze on her cerulean eyes. Her elbows were propped up on the desk that held the music box and she sat in silence, listening to the melody and smiling.

Everything was peaceful.

Sadly, this moment of tranquillity had to be broken. The house's bell sounded, and the girl sighed. The music box gently dulled to a stop.

The girl didn't bother turning the screw so the box would continue playing. Instead, she closed it gently and placed it carefully within the drawer.

"Marinette!" a woman's voice called.

"Coming!" the girl replied. A sort of wistful glance filled her face as her fingertips rested on her drawer but she drew back quickly and grabbed a cloth on her bed and wrapped it around her hair.

A determined but weary look filled the young woman's face as she bounded down the steps to start work once more.

"Ah you're here!" a middle-aged woman said. Her face was round and her eyes were twinkling. "Carry these for me to the cart will you dear?" she said kindly, handing her a large crate.

"Of course mother," Marinette replied as she grabbed the crate off her arms and went outside. The young woman stepped outside, squinting a little at the brightness of the sun hitting her face but nonetheless enjoying the feel of warmth on her skin.

She walked over to the small horse-drawn goods carriage outside and carefully placed the crate onto the back of the carriage.

"Sweetheart you are here!" a jolly man called out.

"Papa!" Marinette smiled as her father came from inside the house. He took her into a deep hug and she smiled at the scent of baked goods on his shirt.

"Working late with mother again, were you?" Marinette asked in concern, noticing the dark circles under her father Tom's eyes.

"Ah, it wasn't too bad! We're lucky to have more orders anyway!" Tom replied jovially.

Marinette tried to return the smile but the effort was weak.

They were poor. There was no other way to describe the circumstances they were in.

Marinette's father and mother were both bakers. Their baked goods would be made in the early morning by Sabine, Marinette's mother, while Tom sold them in the market. If there were more orders made, Sabine would begin baking at night. Each day, Tom would come back, tired and exhausted and the routine would start again.

Marinette was too young to help out before. And even when she was a little bit older, her parents refused to let her help them.

"Focus on your studies darling," her father and mother would say.

Every day Marinette would attend the small village school as per her parents' wishes. But her heart wasn't really there. She wanted to leap and run and be free. But despite the fact that she had no passion for school, she would rank first anyway because she worked hard to respect what her parents wanted.

But now, things were getting difficult. So Marinette was helping out whenever she could. Waking up early to bake the fresh goods. Sometimes going with her father to sell them and also getting to visit the village market while she was at it. But it still wasn't enough.

The rent was due soon and Marinette knew her parents were worried. She had begged them to let her get a job so she could help but they refused adamantly.

Marinette sighed as she watched her father hop onto the carriage.

"I'll come with you," she called. "School's finished for a while anyway," she added.

Her father scrunched his eyebrows. "But dear, your exams-"

"I need supplies anyway," she interrupted.

That worked. Her parents were eager to let Marinette have whatever she needed to succeed in her education.

"Fine," Tom conceded. "Hop on!"

Tom snapped the reins and the horse neighed in response. The carriage started moving.

Marinette waited until the carriage was moving fast enough. And then she ran, chasing it, the wind whipping through her raven hair, fluttering the simple dress she wore.

She finally was in line with the carriage and grabbed onto the edge, propelling herself onto the back of the carriage, a laugh of exhilaration exiting her body. She would always do this. It was a rare moment of freedom.

It didn't take long to get to the market square. Marinette waved at the people she knew as she leaped down just before the carriage stopped.

"Alright, set up the stall for me will you?" Tom asked her, as he clambered off his horse and gave him a pail of water to drink. His daughter obliged and began removing the protective wraps of cloth placed over their modest stand.

Their deft hands and quick demeanour meant the stall was set up in minutes. Tom ruffled his daughter's hair.

"Off you go then," he said, his kind eyes sparkling. "Go get your supplies and study hard for me, okay?"

Marinette felt her heart break in pain for her father. She swallowed a lump in her throat. "I'll be back soon papa," she vowed as she gave him a sad smile and left.

The baker's daughter walked through the crowds, too deep in thought to notice the turning of heads her way or the baleful looks of jealousy from the town's folk. Her thoughts wondered about how her hard her parents were working to feed her and educate her and the pitiful amount of help she could offer them.

Without realising, Marinette stopped in front of the bookshop. Her feet always led her here without her knowing.

The girl smiled. This was her little haven after all.

She stepped in, hearing the little chime of the bell as she opened the door.

"Ah Marinette, how wonderful to see you!" Madame Bustier called.

She was the bookshop owner, as well as Marinette's teacher at school. When she was teaching, her brother would take over the shop's care but since it was exam leave time, she was back, as there were no classes to teach.

"Madame," Marinette greeted, inclining her head a little. Her head was already in the clouds as her fingertips touched the spines of books and her eyes were filled with a loving gaze.

Madame Bustier chuckled. "I'll leave you to it," she said softly as she smiled and whisked herself away to the back of the shop.

Marinette barely heard her leave. She was immersed in this world now.

Swashbuckling heroes and dangerous horse rides into the unknown. Tales of witches and warlocks and magic. Dragons and sirens battling in a stormy sky. Charming princes but wittier princesses and maidens. Strong women who didn't conform to society's rules.

Marinette wanted her life to be like a fairy tale. Perhaps a little less perilous than these books but still, filled with excitement and mystery. Maybe…a little love in the midst too? But she was always scorned by the classmates at her school.

"Stuff like that doesn't happen in real life," they said, not a trace of belief of magic, or wonder within them.

But Marinette still believed.

And she would continue believing for the rest of her life.

No matter what.

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**Please let me know thoughts by reviewing and if you like it, please favourite and follow! **

**Fun fact, this story was meant to be a one-shot but I got carried away so it seems like it is going to have a whole plot now! This was meant to bridge the gap between another story I'm working on (which I am so excited about) but since that one is taking so long, I have decided to write this in the meantime. Despite that, I will work hard at it!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the favourites and follows so far! I got a review asking if the miraculous would be included or not. To answer your question: perhaps... (insert cliffhanger music here) :D . In all fairness, I have an idea for the miraculous but it is in progress. So I am unsure on whether I want to include it or not! **

**Also, my twitter is (insert 'at' symbol) fireandfairy !**

**On with the story!**

* * *

After a good half an hour, although it felt too soon, Marinette decided to leave the bookshop. She had borrowed another book, one about princesses and frogs this time.

"Ah, shoot," she muttered to herself. "I need to get my 'supplies' before Papa tells me off again," she said a little sadly.

With a new book in her bag, Marinette walked off into the busy market square once more.

It was always chaotic here, she thought with a bored smile. But always the same. Never exciting. The same fabrics were on sale. The same people buying their daily meat and eggs. Simple but the same.

Marinette walked over to the stationary shop. It was honestly a miracle that the creaky door was still standing upright as she carefully pushed it open.

It was pretty much empty. Not many people were here. Even the owner of the shop was snoozing in the corner.

Marinette grabbed the cheapest pencil and rubber and made her way to pay. Deciding not to disturb the owner, she left the money on the table with a little note and her signature on it.

As she stepped outside and tucked the utensils in her pocket, a cry caught her attention.

The girl's head snapped around to the sound and her eyes widened as she saw what the hullabaloo was about.

"Thief! Thief! He stole my money!" The tailor was crying out.

A dash from what appeared to be a hooded figure in front of her confirmed her suspicions.

Without a second thought, Marinette ran after him.

A quiet day, huh? She must have spoken too soon.

"What are you doing, you silly girl!" someone called from behind her. "The royal guards will deal with it!"

Whispers and mutters of how strange she was surrounded her but Marinette couldn't care. She was not a person to sit and watch quietly.

She started to think. Where was this person heading?

As the figure dodged and weaved in front of her, her mind clicked.

Of course. The harbour.

Luckily, she knew a shortcut.

Instead of following the figure straight ahead, she sprinted to the right. Her calves were beginning to burn from the run but she knew she could do it. The cream cloth in her hair fluttered as she ran.

She dashed to the port and swung herself onto the ship, clambering by grabbing onto a ladder stacked on the edge. Luckily, no checks were happening. Most likely because everyone had boarded the ship and the ship had slowly began moving. Landing with a thud, she winced as her knees took the hit but forced herself to hide behind a crate.

Another thud on the ship confirmed the target was here.

Okay, but how was she going to capture him?

Scanning her surroundings, Marinette's eyes landed on a small piece of rope lying on the ground. Huh. Convenient, she thought. She picked it up and wrapped it around her wrist.

Peeking out from the side of the crate, she took a cautious look.

The hooded figure was pacing quietly. The blue-eyed girl followed the direction of the footsteps and realised the stowaway was planning to go down beneath deck. 'Probably trying to pretend he's a passenger or was planning to knock out the captain and steer the ship himself,' Marinette thought to herself.

Before she could move she heard the sound of hooves and shouting.

"Over there! On the ship!''

Cursing under her breath, Marinette realised she had to think quickly. The royal guard that had shouted has just made her life a lot harder because the thief tensed and started to walk faster to the exit. If she didn't hurry, this could get messy.

Bounding to the edge of the ship, Marinette ran to the trapdoor to the captain's steering room before the thief and faced him.

The thief stopped in their tracks for a split second before running up to her.

Almost on instinct, the raven-haired girl dodged the kick and stepped to the side, arms already taking the blows of his punches. Before he could hit her again, she side-stepped and spun behind him, hitting the back of his knee. The figure collapsed to the floor and Marinette pinned herself over him so he couldn't move. With a jab to his neck, Marinette grabbed the hands of the thief and tied them together using the rope on her wrist.

"Sorry for knocking you out cold but you were making everyone's life harder," the young lady said to the unconscious man on the floor.

Keeping her eyes trained on him, Marinette opened the trapdoor.

"Stop the ship!" she called. Sparing a glance to see the royal guard waiting at the harbour, she decided to add, "on the King's orders."

* * *

Once the anchor was set, Marinette heaved the thief's body up and carefully lowered him down onto the small boat that a guard had rowed, set right up against the body of the ship.

"You can come down with us!" the guard shouted from below to her.

Marinette sighed. It was two-man boat. Another one, and they'd probably sink. And she had _really _planned on not getting wet today.

"You go," she said to the guard. "I'll come in a minute."

The ship's captain, who had been shocked and had stood there watching them mouth agape looked at her.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning to be your stowaway," she laughed lightly. "You can go to where you're heading now."

"You-you're under the King's command?" The captain asked her, his voice shaking in awe.

Marinette shook her head. "Nope. Well, yes," she said on second thought, tilting her head to the side. "Indirectly, we all are, aren't we? As citizens of this country?"

The captain just looked confused.

Marinette sighed. Why couldn't people understand her witty comments?

"I figured since the guards were arriving, I may as well say it was under the King's orders because the guards would have done that anyway," Marinette explained, pointing to them waiting at the port. "But I saved them the trouble."

She leaped to the side of the ship and gazed into the water, involuntarily shivering. "Papa is going to be _so _mad," she groaned as she contemplated on what she had to do next.

"Well anyway, nice meeting you!" she said a little unenthusiastically as she dived into the water.

The captain shook his head in a daze, rubbing his eyes and asking himself if he was dreaming. But sure enough, the raven-coloured hair of a girl came bopping up to the surface of the sea and the astonishing girl carried on swimming to the port.

"I need a cup of tea," the captain said in a shocked daze.

* * *

The guard that had rowed his boat to retrieve the thief helped Marinette up from the water.

"Thanks," she said, shivering a little.

"Miss, would you like my coat?" another guard asked.

Marinette smiled. "Thank you, but it's a sunny day today. I'm sure they'll dry. Plus, I don't live far. I can change."

Another guard walked up to her. It seemed he was the captain, as he had special tassels around his shoulder.

"Could you tell us exactly what happened miss?" he asked, his voice stern.

"I, uh, followed the thief after he stole some money from the tailor," Marinette began. "And I tied him up and brought him to you."

The other guards looked astounded as they looked to each other.

"You mean to say, all by yourself?" the head guard asked, a hint of surprise on his voice.

Marinette gulped. "Um, yeah- I mean yes! I have the bruises to prove it," she chuckled as she showed her arms to the head guard. Her petite but lean arms had dark blue bruises already from the fresh fight.

"I see. Next time, I implore that you leave the matter to us," he said strictly.

Marinette bit her tongue to prevent the snide remark that would come out. How would they deal with the matter when the thief would be halfway across the ocean was something she'd _love_ to see.

"But on the behalf of the guards present here, and the King himself, we thank you for your services. Attention, guards!"

The guards stomped on their feet and to Marinette's utter amazement, bowed to her. They curtly stood up again.

Woah. She had not expected that.

"Oh…um thank you," Marinette fumbled. "I was just…trying to help. Sorry for getting in the way," she muttered.

"Not many citizens are as noble as you, Miss," the head guard said, perhaps a little softly than before. "You should also get your wounds addressed to," he added.

"Oh right," Marinette said, looking at her injuries. They weren't too bad, but they'd be tender for a few days. She smiled to the guards.

"Take care of that ruffian for me will you?" she joked and some of the guards chuckled.

The head guard gave a rare smile. "He'll be taken to the prisons. Well, good day to you, Miss," he said, bidding his farewell and commanding his guards forward on their horses.

Hm. So maybe the captain wasn't as sour as he first appeared. Marinette was just about to leave when the guard who had helped her up before stopped her.

"Yes…?" she asked, a little taken aback.

"Please…please take this Miss!" the guard said nervously, pushing a piece of paper into her hands. "It was an honour to meet you!" he squeaked before scrambling off with the rest of the guards.

Marinette just watched him leave, a little bewildered. Was that weird…or cute?

Forget that. She was cold. Although it was summer, the sea was still freezing and the wet clothes clung to her skin, seeping into her body.

Not thinking twice, Marinette stuffed the piece of paper into her pocket, not bothering to read it and trudged her way back to her father's little stall. People gave her odd looks but what was new?

Without saying a word, Marinette sat down in front of the coals where the baked goods were warmed. The Dupain family had positioned their stall next to a fireplace-almost chimney like structure which was used as an oven for warming their baked goods eons ago when this business had started.

Her father just stared at her wordlessly. "Young lady, I think an explanation is due," Tom finally said.

The blue-eyed girl slumped. "I was trying to help the tailor. A thief stole his money and he was heading to catch the last boat out of here. Long story short, there wasn't enough room on the way back from the ship so I swam."

Tom's mouth hung open. And then he shook his head in disbelief.

"Right, a typical day for you, huh Marinette?" he finally said, chuckling a little at his joke.

"Yeah, _so _typical," Marinette said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. This was the first time anything like this had happened. Although, Marinette's parents had told her that she had always been a righteous kind of kid since she was little. She would stand up to bullies even from a young age at her local school.

"Oh man!" she said suddenly. "My book, it's going to be wet!"

Frantically, she opened her bag and found the book sopping wet. Luckily, it could be saved. She wrapped it in multiple layers cloth and placed it in the coals to warm.

"Phew, wouldn't want to charge for the damage," she laughed but stopped mid-way as her father frowned at her.

"What?" she asked.

Tom scrunched his eyebrows at her. "The bookshop? I thought you went to get supplies!"

"Papa, I did, look I got a pencil and a rubber!" his daughter insisted, showing him.

"Yes but why are you still reading those fairy tales? Don't you have to study?"

"Come on Papa! I have studied and I will! I need some breaks in between too," she pleaded.

Tom sighed. He was too fond of his daughter to ever scold her too heavily. "Ok. As long as you study well my dear."

"I will. Now enough talking. Let me help you."

Immersing herself in the work of warming the breads and taking the cash from the customers, Marinette didn't even realise when it had become the afternoon. The crowds were dwindling and everyone was going back home to rest and make their meals.

Helping her father pack up the horse-cart, she leaped in as her father rode away back to their humble home. The journey wasn't exciting, the same as every single day before it.

"Mama, we're home!" she announced as she leaped down and started removing the carts.

"Welcome back dears!" Sabine exclaimed as she began helping them too. She kissed her daughter on the forehead and Tom encompassed them all in a hug. Marinette revelled in the warmth of her parents.

"Let's all go inside, I'm making dinner," Sabine said.

"Um, I'll join you both later," Marinette said a little nervously. "I'm meeting my friend for a bit."

At her parents concerned looks she put her hands up. "Only for an hour, I'll be back soon and I'll get back to studying, I promise!"

With a single nod of approval from her parents, Marinette dashed off, her heart racing.

She was going to see him soon.

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**How was it? Let me know with review and by following and favoriting the story! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I apologise to any Adrienette shippers in advance...**

* * *

There he was.

After stomping through the meadow, she finally saw him.

He was sitting there, a guitar in his hand, his dark hair a stark contrast in the scenery. If you looked closely, you could see dark tinges of blue on the ends of his fringe.

His eyes were closed, listening to the breeze but when he opened them, they were a dark sapphire. The glinted softly in the evening sun.

At the sound of her footsteps, he opened his eyes and gave her a smile. And he began playing a melody.

It was a soft, soothing song. A song that reminded you of a summer's day, a cool breeze and the ocean swaying at your feet. Mesmerised, Marinette's feet were drawn to the melody and the boy that was playing.

She sat down next to him, eyes lulling to a close, not interrupting the tune and enjoying the song. _Her _song.

When he finally stopped her eyes opened to see him smiling endearingly at her. He put down his guitar and opened his arms.

She gladly flew into them.

She smelled his ocean scent, and nestled into his shirt. "Mm, I'm tired. Don't get offended if I start sleeping."

"Am I that boring to you?"

"Yup."

He made an indignant noise but she just chuckled.

"You're so amazing," he whispered into her ear.

Marinette smiled but it was short-lived. "The rest of the people in this town don't think so."

"Well they're small-minded anyway. What do you expect from people from a small town?"

"Am I small-minded?"

He tilted her chin so she would look at her.

"You're the exception," he said softly. "You and I both. That's why we fit so well together."

He gave her a gentle kiss and Marinette felt like she had been whisked away in another world.

With Luka, she felt special. She felt like she was different but in a good way. They were both unique and it was only fitting that they…well, fit.

Two misfits making a world that fit for them.

They broke apart and Marinette laid her head on his chest. "Can we just stay here like this? I have to leave soon but I just want to be with you in this moment."

Luka just gave her a warm smile. "Since when did you need to ask?"

* * *

It was time to go. Marinette placed her palm against Luka's. It was warm and comforting.

"I'll write to you," he said. "You'll know when to meet me," Luka said, cupping her face and kissing her forehead.

Marinette smiled. "See you soon."

She waved goodbye and walked away back to her home.

After her meeting with Luka, it was pretty much uneventful.

She had her dinner, went upstairs into the attic and began studying. The test was a week away. Once that was done, she could go back to helping her parents out. That was the priority. And maybe, getting to see Luka again too.

Marinette didn't know what she wanted. What was her dream? What did she want with her life? Did she want to be stuck in this small town, helping her parent's business forever? Or explore the unknown?

Did she have what it took to make a life of her own?

Maybe she'd never know.

* * *

**Sorry for the super short chapter! I had exams so I'm getting back to working on this story again! But I hope you still enjoyed this chapter!**

**Thanks for reading!**

** fireandfairydust**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm back with the story!**

**I am so sorry for the massive hiatus I pulled. I had exams and then they were done but I needed some time to relax. But I have been developing this story more in the meantime, as well as another future one (which I cannot wait to release once it's ready). So this is why I haven't been as active.**

**I hope to be posting more chapters and writing more soon as I have holidays now! (yay :D)**

**Please enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

A week had passed. Her exams were done. And Marinette was free.

She didn't know how to feel about the exams but she hoped she did well enough for her parent's expectations. That was all that really mattered.

"So sweetie, it's the summer! What are your plans?" Sabine asked.

Marinette gave a small shrug. "I'll probably help you guys out with the bakery! I don't really have any plans," she admitted as she continued to roll the dough.

Sabine looked at her daughter worriedly. "What about…meeting with your friends?"

Marinette considered that.

She didn't really have any good friends. Her classmates weren't hostile to her but no-one really wanted to get close to her either. Her only real friend here was Luka but he was more than a friend at this point.

"Maybe just one," she said carefully. "But apart from that, no, I won't be doing anything special."

Marinette didn't see the worried look on Sabine's face as she went to wash her hands. Marinette dashed upstairs to grab the apron she normally wore and put it on. As her fingers slid into the pockets she felt a crumpled piece of paper.

"What's this…" her words trailed off as she stared at the piece of paper. "Oh, it's from that guard boy!" she exclaimed to herself.

She opened the paper up.

It was an advertisement. For a job.

Marinette's eyes widened as kept reading it.

The kingdom next door was offering citizens from here to come and become part of their royal guards. Marinette thought back to the struggles that kingdom was facing. There had been many attacks and natural disasters that had been happening. Because of that, their security was stretched thin and they needed more people. They were desperate to recruit- they had even resorted to asking other kingdoms for help.

This paper in her hand said they were looking for men and women eligible to join. A set of grade requirements were there as well as an application deadline. It wasn't until the end of summer anyway.

But what was really amazing was the pay.

With that salary, Marinette and her parents could live comfortably. Her parents wouldn't need to sell bread every day or work that hard. On top of that, the kingdom would provide meals and accommodation.

"But why would the guard give this to me?" she whispered as she thought back to that day.

Oh lords. Did he actually think her to be _brave_? She was just being foolish and it had worked in her favour!

Marinette began laughing. She laughed so hard she forgot that her parents were downstairs and were probably wondering what a strange child she was.

But still…the possibility of it all lingered in her mind. She quickly pushed it away.

She was not going to the neighbouring kingdom to become a _guard_. Hah! Good one. She was the baker's daughter. She was going to take over the family business. Besides, she would have to leave Luka. She really didn't want that.

So with that, that possibility was closed inside a drawer within her mind. Crumpling the piece of paper, she grabbed the apron and stuffed the paper into the pocket and went downstairs.

"Alright, here I am, at your service!" Marinette exclaimed flamboyantly. As she looked at her mother, she expected to see a smile or maybe even a laugh but instead her mother was looking sadly at her.

"Huh, what…what's wrong?" she asked, a little concerned.

"Marinette, I am so sorry," her mother finally said, looking crestfallen.

Marinette's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Sorry? What for? What are you talking about mother?"

Sabine looked down at her folded hands. "We thought…your father and I, that making you focus on your education would be best for you. But now…I think we've made a mistake."

Marinette couldn't believe her ears.

"No mother!" She rushed up towards Sabine and knelt down in front of her. "What are you saying?"

Sabine was trying to hold her tears. "By making you work hard at your education, we missed giving you a gift. The chance to make friends and have fun experiences with them," she said softly.

Marinette squeezed her mother's hands. "Mother, I _have _had fun," she insisted with a smile. "To be with you, to see how hard you both work has made me appreciate what I have. I've explored the fields and the market square! Don't worry, I'm not lonely with you and Papa," Marinette assured her.

Sabine stroked her daughter's cheek delicately. "You are the best gift we could have ever wished for," she whispered.

That wasn't just a fanciful sentimental thing to say. There was a story, and Marinette had heard the story behind her birth quite a few times.

Sabine and Tom had been struggling to have a child. One night, on the night of a full moon, Sabine wished upon the stars for a healthy child to be born. She had walked outside, at midnight and gazed upon the vast sky. After a while, a shooting star zipped across the inky midnight sky, a star that was red and bright and seemed to fall at her feet. Unable to believe her eyes, Sabine picked up the object that had fallen at her toes.

It was a red, inky gem the size of a large, round teardrop. Clasping it in her hands, Sabine wondered if someone had dropped this- perhaps it came off from a necklace- but no-one in this small town owned such treasures. Besides, something in Sabine's heart could tell that this was no ordinary stone.

With that, Sabine took the stone to her home. After a few months, Sabine became pregnant and give birth to a beautiful baby girl. And that girl was Marinette.

That was why, often, her parents would call her their blessing. It was touching.

Marinette touched the so called 'star' stone that was now laced on her neck. After her birth, Sabine and Tom had put this gem on a necklace and it was Marinette's to keep forever. She always kept it hidden, as she didn't want people to steal it, but would always wear it. It was oddly comforting. It stayed just below her breastbone, taking in her body warmth and centred her mind, like and anchor.

"And you both are the best parents a girl could wish for," Marinette said, hugging her mother. "Right enough of this, I may start crying soon!" Marinette said lightly as she stood up. Giving Sabine's shoulder a gentle squeeze, she looked around for work to do.

"Ah yes, time to bake! Let's get to it!"

There wasn't much talk after that. Marinette's elbows were up to flour and she used a cloth to wipe the trickle of sweat building up on her brow. Putting another batch in the oven, she sat down on a stool after standing up for hours.

It wasn't obvious to her but working at the bakery had made her physically stronger. Kneading dough and carrying packages of flour and baked goods had built her muscles on her arms. Standing up for hours on end strengthened her legs. Without realising it, she had become tougher than she looked and knew.

"Alright sweetie, thank you for your help," Sabine said, wrapping up for the day. "Now the rest of the day is up to you!"

Marinette couldn't fight the smile that was escaping on her face. She might get to see Luka!

It was rare to get to see him. And it was hard keeping it a secret. They had decided to do so, because they didn't want to become the talk of the town. This small town had a small population. And information spread like wildfire. A small spark was all that was needed to set this city ablaze.

Although it pained Marinette to keep this from her parents, she had promised Luka she would. She thought about what he had said to her that night he confessed.

"I think I'm falling for you, Dupain-Cheng," he had said to her, that shy smirk on his face that made her heart race. She couldn't believe the boy she had been crushing on had actually noticed her. _Her_. The quiet, unpopular one.

His dark blue eyes seemed to soften when he looked at her as he touched her face. Her face immediately went warm.

"I want to be with you," he whispered. But his eyes suddenly became cloudy. "But can we keep it a secret?"

Marinette had frowned. "Why?" she asked in confusion.

Luka sighed as he dropped his hand from her face. "Marinette, you know about…my background, yeah?"

She did.

Luka's father had left his mother to take care of two children single-handedly on her own. Juleka had only been three years old then. She barely had got to know her father and when he decided to go. And instead of people sympathising with the Couffaine's, this small minded-town with its narrow-minded people started rumours and whispers. That it was his mother's fault for making his father leave.

Marinette gritted her teeth and looked at him defiantly.

"Sometimes I hate this small town," she said fiercely to him. "Your mother should be seen as a hero, for raising you and Juleka single-handedly and instilling good, core values within you both. Instead, she was shunned by society when she needed it the most."

Luka's eyes widened at her remark before shining with pride. "You have no idea how much more I admire you for saying that," he said to her, the moonlight glinting off of his blue tinged bangs.

Marinette blushed but she meant every word she had said.

"And that's why I want it to be a secret," Luka continued sadly. He walked in front of her, his back towards her as he gazed up to look at the stars.

"I want people to recognise me for _me_. Not as a pitiful boy that was abandoned by his father." He turned to look at her. "And the problem is," he continued, "that if I become affiliated with someone, they bear my stigma. My mark."

Marinette eyes glimmered with the faintest sheen on tears. She understood.

He walked up to her and cradled her hands in his. He looked at her.

"I want you to be mine," he said clearly. "And when people see you with me, I want them to think that 'Look, she's with a self-made man. Not some pitiful boy.'"

"You are not pitiful to me," Marinette said to him, lifting her gaze from her hands to his eyes.

Luka gave her that heart-tugging smile of a smirk. "I know," he said as he leaned down to meet her lips.

And they shared their first kiss that night under the star-strewn sky with a soft breeze in her hair and the faint melody of nightingales in the air. It had been magical.

As Marinette drifted back into the present, she thought about the day when Luka would get to achieve his dreams and become the independent man he longed to be. And the day she would get to stand by his side.

At this point of time, she had only considered what her role next to his would be.

She hadn't paused to consider what her own dreams were.

* * *

**Not gonna lie, I kind of like Lukanette (don't come for me Adrienette shippers). But of course, Adrienette, Ladynoir, Marichat and Ladrien are the real OTPs. **

**Thank you for reading! if you want, follow me on twitter: put the 'at' sign and then fireandfairy (for some reason I cannot add the 'at' sign on here *sighs*).**

**Thank you!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello! A new chapter is here!**

**I think I'm going to try and upload each Monday. We'll see how long the consistency lasts though because I am forgetful and also not organised during my holidays (whoops).**

**Anyway! On with the chapter!**

* * *

As Marinette took of her apron and work day clothes, she picked out the nicest dress she owned. It was plain, a pale blue cotton piece of fabric that went to her knees. She would often see the other girls wearing deep, velvet gowns on special occasions. She would love to wear velvet one day. She had only touched it once in the fabric store, revelling in its lovely texture, smooth when brushed the right way, rough on the other side.

But a lack of money hadn't stopped Marinette. She had decorated this plain blue dress with little beads that were cheap to buy around the waistline. White ribbons had been stitched by her around the arms and the tips, giving it a more elegant feel.

It was a little bit chilly as the evening started to set in so she grabbed a thick cloth and wrapped it around her. She stepped out the door, not bothering to let her parents know as she stuck a note onto the kitchen table, saying she was meeting a friend.

The paths were quiet, an odd squirrel or bird skittering around. The streetlights gave a nice, moonlight glow to the dusty, sandy pavement and her shoes crunched the ground as she walked. She walked over the paths until they become gravelly and more grass-ridden.

The meadows. Finally here.

This was where she loved to spend her time. Hardly anyone from the town would come here, making this a peaceful, tranquil place. Everyone else preferred to go the fountains and eat in the small drawn up open tents. Well, those that could afford it anyway.

But here…she was herself. She liked it when she was alone. As much as it was nice to have Luka with her here too, she liked her solitude as she waited for him.

She would lay down in the morning and let the sun hit her body. At night she would let the coolness of the air ruffle her hair. She didn't have to be bounded by any rules or norms. If only her life could be like this. Freedom. That's what she longed.

Her eyes were closed. But they didn't even stir when she heard the melody in the air.

The notes on the guitar were like little gems lighting up the meadow. A regular rhythm like flowing water. His hands brushed across the strings so effortlessly that she could almost imagine him stroking the notes without even opening her eyes.

Marinette stayed quiet, revelling in the melody and respecting his performance. She hated it when people talked while others performed music. Singing along was a different thing, but completely disregarding the musician while they performed? That got on her nerves.

As the last note lingered in the air she let it stay there until there was no more resonance.

She sat up, knowing he was next to her.

He smiled down at her. "Hey there," he greeted as he offered a hand.

Marinette took it, and stood up. "Hey," she said, giving him a smile of her own.

"Did you like the song?" Luka asked her.

Marinette analysed him. He was giving an easy smile but his shoulder was tensed. His eyes could deceive others into thinking he was relaxed but to her, she could see them tremble slightly.

Her answer would be important to him. So she decided to answer it carefully.

"It reminded me of pretty things in life," she began. "The simple things, that if you don't notice you'll never realise were there. But when you see it," she glanced at him, "it becomes something wonderful."

Luka stood there without saying anything at first. Then he bowed his head, giving a sheepish smile.

"You always stun me, Marinette," he said with a hint of a chuckle. "Anyone else, and I'd hear a yes or a no. But you," Luka smiled as he took her hand, "you've always had this sense of eloquence to you."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Eloquence? Have you ever seen me walk four steps without tripping at least once?"

Luka gave a small, light-hearted laugh. "You know what I mean," he said, his eyes staring deeply into hers.

Marinette had to remind herself to breathe. "Stop it, you're making me nervous," she said, looking away, coyly smiling to herself.

Luka gave out a laugh. He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him, so her head was resting on his chest. "I, make you nervous? The fierce Marinette?"

She punched him lightly. "Shut up," she said in mock annoyance. She looked up into his eyes but was surprised.

Instead of seeing clear, dark diamond blue eyes she saw clouds shifting within his irises.

"Wh-What's wrong?" Marinette asked, her smile fading.

Luka smiled sadly down at her. "You can tell just by looking at me?" he asked, a tinge of sorrow in his voice. He sighed. "Let's sit down for a bit."

* * *

"A-a palace musician?" Marinette cried out loud.

Luka sighed.

A myriad of emotions circled Marinette. Selfish ones, that only thought of her but she brushed them aside.

"But that's your dream! Why aren't you happy?" she asked, still in shock.

Luka started up into the sky.

"I guess I am happy…in some ways. In other ways, not so much." He turned to look at her.

"Juleka and my mother…they depend on me. I won't be there for them anymore, well at least not directly. I'll be able to send them money but taking care of them?" Luka shook his head. "I can't do that."

"Don't you worry about that! Your mother is one of the toughest women I know! And…I'll try and look out for her," Marinette said, biting her lip. How she would do that she didn't know, but she couldn't let them crumble to the dust. "I-I could help Juleka with her homework or something-"

"Marinette, chill." She stopped her nervous chattering and looked at him.

"Sorry," she said, looking away. "I just want to help."

Luka smiled and took her hand. "I know you do, and I appreciate it," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. "But you're right. They're tough women. They'll be able to handle my absence. And knowing you'll be there to look out for them makes me feel even better," he said with smile.

Marinette couldn't help but smile back. But it didn't stay on her face for long.

"When do you leave?" she asked, her voice so low it was almost inaudible. The selfish emotions were slowly creeping back into her.

Luka looked down at his hands. "The day after tomorrow," he said as Marinette took a sharp intake of a breath. _So soon._

It was a while before she spoke.

"Luka," she said softly. "I'm, I'm super happy you're getting your dream. I know how much you've wanted to make a living for yourself, and this job is perfect for you but…" she trailed off.

"But?" Luka prompted gently.

Marinette turned her face away from him. Her cheeks were flaming, she couldn't believe she was going to say this.

"But what does this mean…for us?" she whispered.

There was a silence in the air. An owl hooted in the distance while the yellow moon just glinted its shine on the grass below, making the green glow a little more.

"Marinette," Luka said gently. He held her chin softly and made her look at him. Her eyes had the thinnest shine of tears on them but they were determined not to spill.

"It won't be easy," Luka confessed. "I'll probably not have much time to visit you as I'll be inside the palace most of the time. And it'll be a little difficult for you to come up so far." He said the last part a little quietly and slowly.

Marinette blushed. It was true they didn't have much money but did Luka really think she couldn't afford to visit him?

"I'm working too, you know," she said defiantly. "Papa gives me money for my fair share. And I've been saving up. I _will _come and visit."

Luka smiled at her. "I just don't want you to waste money on me," he said.

Marinette felt her heart sink. He would never think he was good enough for her to spend money on him.

"Where I choose to spend my money is for me to decide Couffaine," she said sharply. Luka just laughed.

"Ok, fine, I can never change your mind, can I?"

"You should know that by now."

Marinette grabbed his hands suddenly. "Promise you'll write?" she pleaded him, her big blue eyes imploring into his. "Promise that you'll think of me?"

Luka kissed her forehead. "Of course I will, Marinette. Don't you forget about me either and go chasing some other boy," he joked.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Please. None the boys are to my fancy. And if I recall, _you're _the one that chased me, I never chased you!"

"Oh really? Why did I catch you drooling over me that day in the winter then?"

"I did _not _drool over you!"

"Did too!"

"I am going to make you regret that!"

The pair carried on joking and enjoying each other's presence for one more night. Neither could bear to think how long it would be before they saw each other next. So they had to enjoy this moment as long as it lasted.

The future was too uncertain to dwell on for too long in this kingdom.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! If you like the chapter, please favourite and review!**


	6. Chapter 6

In another kingdom not too far away, a fair prince gazed through his glass window.

Perhaps to those who looked at him thought he was just looking through the looking glass. But perhaps if you knew the prince personally, he would give you a very different perspective.

He would say he was trapped. He was outside- looking in.

Looking into a world he couldn't explore. Well…not in his princely form anyway.

But that was a secret for another time.

The blond haired prince sighed, looked down and turned the other way. Sitting back onto his mahogany desk, he picked up the papers and read them one by one. With each one he read, he put the paper down on the right and picked the next one up.

His gaze fell onto a particular sheet. Picking it up, he looked intently at it.

"Hiring for new guards," he read to himself quietly. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, we really are in a dire state."

"Prince Adrien!" a voice called.

His door abruptly opened and the green eyed prince looked as guards let a messenger through.

"Your father requests your presence tonight regarding the distribution of troops," the messenger announced.

Adrien waved his hand. "Thank you. I will be there," he replied.

The messenger bowed and left.

Adrien waited for his doors to close before he slammed his palm on his table.

"Why does he request my presence when he won't even _listen _to what I have to say!" Adrien protested hotly. "He'll just distribute the troops to the borders and send more to the other kingdoms! How can we have peace if he's always waging war?"

Adrien brought out his diary from under a small drawer that was fitted into his desk. He looked at his plans as he opened the book and stroked the pages.

He wanted them to stop waging wars on kingdoms. That wasn't the way to find out why those people were attacking the palace. Although attack was a strong word. Adrien had analysed the rebel infiltrations and it seemed as if they were rummaging through their things rather than attacking their guards and soldiers. Adrien wanted to tail the rebels because being suspicious and accusatory wasn't the answer to solving this problem. And they were facing other problems on top of that…

Adrien refrained from sighing. He was doing that an awful lot lately. He would have to train to allow for some catharsis of his frustration.

The prince picked up a photo stand. The photo was a picture of a beautiful Queen, her light blond hair tied up in an elegant up-do and her minty green dress was laced with gold. She was regal without looking haughty, kind but fierce.

"Ever since you've been gone, it feels like we're cursed Mother," Adrien said quietly. "You were this kingdom's lucky charm. But I can't blame you for leaving. There must have been a reason. There's a reason for everything, isn't there?" he asked, despite knowing there would be no reply. He stroked the woman's cheek on the photo with his thumb gently.

"I want to leave too but I can't leave him like…that. I suppose I've just got to keep going. If only... there was _something_ that would want me to stay here," he said wistfully.

He stroked the black, obsidian stone his mother had given him before she left. Taking a deep breath, he tucked the stone, which was laced around his neck, back inside his shirt.

Grabbing his fountain pen, he started scratching on the papers again for the thousandth time.

* * *

**Hello! Thank you for reading!**

**Sorry for the short chapter. The reason is that this is the first glimpse into Adrien's life. As it is only a glimpse, too much cannot be revealed yet but everything mentioned here is important for the upcoming story.**

**If you like the chapter, the only way I'll know is if you favourite, follow and review the story! Thank you to everyone who has done this so far, it really means a lot :)))**

**My twitter is (at symbol)fireandfairy**

**Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7

**First of all: I'm so sorry! I'm a week and two days late! I'll say the reason right at the bottom but for now, please enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Marinette huffed as she sank onto her desk for the fifth time that morning.

It had already been a week since Luka had left. And she was miserable. Utterly miserable.

They had been together for almost two years. And they had built up good memories.

Neither had much, but they were passionate. And their passion had more than compensated for not having many of the material luxuries some of the other villagers had. For Marinette, Luka was the person that actually _listened. _He was there for her. Any little thing, he would take seriously. And she did the same for him.

Every little moment they stole, every fleeting touch and every secret kiss had been magical. Having him close kept her strong. Now he was far apart…she was getting weaker.

To make things worse, her summer had to be super long. She had never wished for summer to end quicker. She needed some sort of distraction, _anything _to keep her sane. Because she felt herself losing her sanity. Slowly but surely.

Marinette wanted to see Luka more than ever.

There was nothing to look forward to. No secret letter that had been delivered dangerously. No slipping into a small corner and deciding where to meet. No blushing because he was watching her from the crowd. Her lacklustre life was now even more colourless. She felt herself wallowing and crumpling like a wilted flower.

There were her results to look forward too (or not) and then off to more studying. But now she had zero friends by her side. Luka was her only solace-having him nearby made her calm despite the fact they couldn't be affectionate with each other in public. Marinette was alone and that made her terrified.

It didn't help that his letters were already having longer gaps between each of them.

The baker's daughter cherished those letters like her deepest treasure. Each time when she collected the mail, she looked eagerly, almost hungrily, for a letter from him. It gave her a relief, of some sort. She brushed her hands over the paper, caressing each stroke of ink. She was hanging on a loose thread and those letters pulled her back in. Gave her some respite from this unhealthy mindset she was in currently.

But as what happens when someone suffers, insecurities and fear took ahold. Was their another girl? Too much work? Had he forgotten about her _completely? _She hated having these thoughts. She felt so petty. But she couldn't help it. Each day, she felt more and more numb, not wanting to even get up from her bed some days. And her thoughts kept pestering her, tormenting her.

"Marinette, time to go!" Sabine called.

"Yes ma," she called half-heartedly.

Marinette dropped her pen to her desk. She'd finish that letter later.

It was dull, each and every day. It had been dull before, but there were little sparks of light to look forward too. Now- there was nothing.

She was trapped in this dreary town, heaving bags of flour each day into the shop, kneading more dough and packing it all up by the evening. Rinse and repeat.

The only thing that helped her stay a little more sane was the town's noticeboard. It piqued her curiosity. Little pieces of news from other kingdoms were pasted on there and it felt good to not feel so enclosed in her little town. It felt like her vision had been broadened and she could finally have a glimpse through the fence that bounded her in this city.

To their east, kingdoms were prospering well. Their harvests were having good luck and trading deals meant both recipient and donor were benefitting.

The large kingdom to their west…now they had not been faring well.

Their King had never been quite right since the Queen left. Where she had gone too was a mystery which intrigued Marinette. How does one so influential simply disappear? Without anyone knowing?

The King had become suspicious or so she had gathered, what with the tone the notices had been written in. It seemed he wanted a fight with everyone and even Marinette knew that was definitely _not_the road for prosperity.

But was peculiar to her was all the mysterious attacks there had been on the palace.

"How the heck did they get into the most securely guarded area in the kingdom," Marinette pondered quietly to herself as she read.

Well. There was nothing she could do about it.

Unless…

No, no. It was absurd.

The opportunity to become that kingdom's guard kept fluttering through her mind, weaving its way in and out. She did not know why she even allowed herself to delude her thinking this way but the more she thought about it, the more free she felt.

A new kingdom. New sights to explore. New people.

She was pretty strong physically but she could get stronger and more agile with training. She could think and maybe they would hone her skills even more. She would get food, a uniform and money that would let her parents pay off that rent so easily.

But did she have the courage to go through with it? Most likely no. But it was nice to entertain the idea, most likely because it was utterly mad. And she was getting madder as the days passed.

Putting the thought away from her mind for the umpteenth time, Marinette noticed her father's forehead lines deepen more than usual.

"Papa? Is everything alright?"

"Huh?" Tom jolted at her voice. "Oh, um, yes, everything's fine sweetheart," he said a little disjointedly. Marinette noticed him quickly shove a piece of paper into his apron.

She decided not to comment. For the time being.

"Dear, I should be asking _you _that question," Tom suddenly said. Marinette sluggishly looked over at him.

"Hmm? Ask me what?"

"If _you'r__e _alright." Tom looked at his daughter in concern. "Sweetheart, you're getting thinner as the days are passing. Your complexion is paler than before and the skin under your eyes are getting dark. Has something happened?" he asked her gently, and softly.

Marinette blinked a few times quickly. Had she really been getting thinner? But she was still eating the meals her mother gave her properly without wasting any of it. They couldn't afford to waste anything anyway.

She wanted to open up to him, he would understand and support her. But she had promised Luka she would keep the secret. Until the time was right, they couldn't reveal their relationship- if she could even call it that at this point.

"I suppose I've not been sleeping properly," she finally said. "Maybe that's why."

Tom didn't push her further. "Okay. Maybe I'll soak some lavender in some oil and put it beside your bed, it may help," he suggested as she nodded. "Shall we head back now pumpkin? I don't things are going to pick up anymore, don't you?" Tom said with a smile. It was obvious he was being over-perky to try and make her feel better.

"Sure Papa," she replied as she began lugging the loads back into the cart.

Marinette saw her father wipe a trickle of sweat on his forehead as he began packing up. Looking at the small wrinkles that etched his face, Marinette had never once considered before today how weary he must be of this life himself.

* * *

"Ugh, I write to him everyday, wasting my damn coins and he has the nerve to write _one line?!_"

She stamped her foot in fury.

It was Wednesday, the mid-day of the week and thus a half day for the entire market meaning they got to rest for a while on this day. Marinette had eagerly picked up the post, hiding Luka's letter in her apron as she had passed the mail to her father and mother and had dashed outside where the horses were.

But the nerve.

_I'll speak with you soon Marinette_.

That was it. One sentence.

After a while in a very long time, Marinette felt rage. She was tired and dejected most of the time but her feelings of excitement, which didn't come often, had just been ruined. It had now been transformed into anger.

"I spend my entire _ink _on those letters and he barely spares a drop? Oh Couiffaine when I get my hands on you I'll-" a string of curses and threats laced the air and it was lucky the windows were closed because her parents would have been ashamed of her language.

She had been anticipating his letter so much! This time, three weeks had gone by before his letter came. She wondered if all those moments they had shared were even real. How could he just throw her away like that?

More importantly, she had been keeping a subtle eye on Juleka and her mother. It also looked as if Luka hadn't written to them in a while either. Luka sent money home regularly but if he stopped doing that then the Couffaine family would struggle.

What had happened to him?

Marinette slumped against their trusty carriage horse Pebbles, her sandy mane tickling Marinette's shoulder.

"What's going on Peb?" she wondered aloud. "Is he alright? Why hasn't he written? What could possibly have happened over there?" The small piece of sane, concerned part of her thought.

The other part was something like this.

"Am I really that forgettable?" she whimpered a second later, as she put an arm around Pebble's neck. "Have I really become that whiny, weeping girl that waits for her lover who doesn't care of her anymore? Ugh, I hate this!" she whined into the horse's mane as she neighed. "I'm miserable all of the time, I feel…broken without him. I wish I didn't feel this way but I can't help it-" she choked midway, and stopped, burying her face onto her trusty steed.

"I've had it Peb," she decided firmly a few seconds later. "I am not going to be a weak maiden waiting forever for a man."

She took the horse by placing her hands on the sides of her nose and stared directly into its eyes.

"I am taking this into my own hands. I'm going to the palace. I'm going to find him and I'm going to ask, no, _demand _an answer from him! This summer is about to end but I am not leaving without an answer!" she yelled.

Pebbles just neighed in response.

* * *

**So the reason I took so long to update was because I didn't like the way the story was flowing in my future chapters. I had to change events or dialogue or the narrative at some areas ahead of the story and I was getting frustrated at myself because of it *sighs*. **

**I have deliberately made Marinette's character be this way for a reason...which I cannot say because spoilers! But I ask you to bear with the story, as each event from here is quite pivotal.**

**Hopefully will update next Monday, thanks for reading! Let me know if you've enjoyed the chapter by favouriting, following and reviewing! Thanks once again!**


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm sorry Mama, I'm sorry Papa, I know I should have given more of a warning before leaving!"

For the first time in a long time, Marinette had a purpose. She had a goal and she felt determined to reach it.

Even her parents had noticed a change in her demeanour. She was considerably brighter, and she seemed more…_alive_. There was no other way to put it.

When she had decided she was going to visit Luka, she meant it. But she was so delusional she didn't even consider the logistics of her plan. Rebellion and recklessness streamed through her. Yet she didn't feel afraid in the slightest.

Her parents, however, certainly were shocked by her sudden decision.

"The palace Marinette! Whatever business could you have there dear?" Sabine asked in utter confusion.

"I told you, my…_friend _is there. I really need to visit hi- them," she stuttered. _Smooth_, she scorned herself mentally, wanting to face-palm.

"But how are you going to find somewhere to stay? It's too far for you to come back in a day!" Tom pointed out indignantly.

"I'll…figure something out! Please," Marinette implored. "I'm eighteen years old and I haven't even seen this kingdom let alone the world! Please let me go," she begged.

Sabine and Tom exchanged a glance with each other.

They had noticed their daughter's condition deteriorate little by little each day. And now that she finally found something to keep her going again, they couldn't snatch that away from her. Eventually, Tom sighed.

"Ok, but be careful. Don't go near strangers and avoid travelling at night. And make sure your necklace is with you."

Automatically, Marinette's fingers went to her neck. The red stone was warm like always against her breastbone, a comforting weight upon her body.

"Alright," she said, not bothering to ask why. "Trust me- I'll be fine. I'll be back in a few days and I'll write as much as I can to you both!" Marinette gave them a kindly smile. "I love you both. I'll see you soon," she promised.

Sabine kissed her daughter's head and Tom enveloped them both in a big hug. With one last wave, Marinette jumped upon her horse Pebbles and started her journey to the palace.

* * *

After a few short rest stops to let Pebbles drink and let herself eat, she was finally at the palace gates. But there was a tiny little flaw in her plan.

How the heck did she get in?

Of course they wouldn't just let anyone in, how could she assume such a thing? But she had to get inside somehow.

Marinette looked at Pebbles. "I can't let you enter with me either I'm afraid," she said as the sandy horse gave her curious eyes. "But I'll make sure you're taken care of somehow or another," she assured her trusty companion. How would she solve both problems at once?

Her mind started to think.

The entrance was a gap made from hedges that surrounded the palace, guarded by two palace guards. The main gates were further in, made of big metal bars that were the real way to enter the palace. The gates would be difficult to enter but if she could sneak in through the first entrance somehow she could think about entering the gates later.

"Play along with me Peb, just for a bit," Marinette whispered to her horse. Pebbles seemed to understand.

The guards hadn't noticed her yet thankfully. But they would soon. She decided to cover her face with a cloth, hiding most of her face as she played out her next part.

"Help this horse has gone out of control!" Marinette yelped and right on cue, Pebbles whinnied and raised her legs in the air. The horse started galloping around, and people began screaming in fear.

The guards looked at the chaos and then at one another. In the end, they finally decided they should do something, as doing nothing would probably risk them their entire salary.

They both left their posts and Marinette took the opportunity to pass through the first entrance. She made a little 'tsk' sound in her head.

_One of them should've stayed by the entrance and the other should have went to sort the problem, _she thought. But she wasn't ungrateful. If they hadn't acted so predictably, she wouldn't have been able to succeed the first obstacle.

The next hurdle would be harder.

The main gates had more than two guards. There were four at the front and she suspected another four behind.

She groaned. This was a bad idea. She couldn't go back as the guards before would question her. And she couldn't really go forward because they wouldn't let her. And if her parents found out she was breaking into the palace… she didn't dare finish that thought.

Heck, forget getting in trouble with her parents. If the king found out, she would be executed for treason.

As Marinette hid behind a bush as a sound caught her attention. Moving carefully so her entire figure was enshrouded by the foliage, she noticed a procession of six people move towards a back entrance. Their hands carried silver platters and judging by their uniform, they were cooks.

Bingo. She had found her way in.

If only that boy had just given the guards a letter or some sort of token to her so she was allowed safe entry. She wouldn't have needed to go into such lengths to see him. But then again, he had never mentioned her seeing him. In fact, he had never even brought it up.

_Did he not even want to see me? _She shook her head. There was no time for these thoughts now. _Focus._

The black-haired beauty slipped in between the hedges and the topiary. Eventually, she managed to see the end of the procession clearly.

_Okay so problems: I don't have their uniform and I don't have their platters, _she deliberated in frustration.

Another idea came to her. But it was not a good one.

She sighed. _Forgive me mama, papa. I hope you forgive this disgrace._

Marinette creeped up behind the last member of the queue. The guards were meticulously checking their IDs and clothing and wares so the queue was moving slowly.

Without wasting time, Marinette clamped her hand over the person's mouth and hit the back of the person's neck. She had read in a book that could make someone faint.

It was her luck he did. She quickly brought her other arm to clasp the platter so it wouldn't fall and make a noise and alert the rest.

She dragged the man as quietly as she could right behind a massive green hedge shaped like a sitting horse. Feeling even more ashamed of herself, she took off his white jacket and his ID.

Marinette grabbed the platter and rejoined the queue.

Luckily, the line hadn't moved much since her horrible act. She waited for her turn, barely breathing properly.

_Lords above, if any of this were ever to come out I would be doomed for the rest of my life, _she thought in absolute utter shame. Part of her was in disbelief that she had managed to carry on without getting caught so far. The other part was too worried about getting caught and was frantically trying to maintain this façade.

The queue had finally moved and it was her turn.

"Open the lid," the guard instructed to her in a gruff tone. Meekly she did, showing an elaborate lobster dish to which the guard gave a quick nod to.

"Pass the dish to him," the guard ordered, pointing to his comrade. The other guard took her dish from her. "Now open your arms wide," he said.

She was patted down to see if she held any dangerous objects which she didn't. She had travelled super light, with a few essentials all tied up inside pockets.

"Now your identity plaque please," he said.

Marinette took of the metal ID that was hanging from her neck and passed it to the guard while the other handed her the lobster dish back to her.

Marinette was about to move when the guard held up a hand. "One moment," he said, his voice sounding even gruffer and his thick eyebrows had mashed together, forming a huge caterpillar like shape above his eyes.

Trying not to sound guilty or nervous, Marinette spoke as confidently as she could. "Yes?"

His steely eyes felt as if they could pierce through her. "Your name," he said. "Do you mean to tell me that it is _Jasper Pierre Addington_?" He said the last three word slowly and purposefully.

The blue-eyed girl tried not to gulp nervously but in her mind's vision she could see herself slap her forehead with much gusto. How could she have forgotten this _major _detail in her completely flawed plan?!

Desperate not to fail after she'd made it this far, she kept talking.

"Well yes, dear sir," she said, speaking in a tone that implied: _isn't that obvious? _She stuck her neck out a little and tilted her head. "What is so surprising about my name?" she asked, acting as if she was offended by the question.

Before he could answer she made a dramatic sigh.

"Ah, our society must move on from such gender norms!" Marinette said with as much passion as she could. "What could I do, when my mother expected a son but a daughter was born instead? When the name was fixed on the certificate and could not be changed no matter how much my father pleaded?" Marinette's insides were shaking: would they call her bluff? But she kept going.

"I tell you, I should be allowed to have a man's name just as any man should be allowed to take a woman's!" Marinette stamped her foot, trying to look enraged.

The guards looked taken aback.

"Excuse me for my ignorance, milady," the one with the gruff voice said, although he was clearly in a bit of shock.

The raven-haired girl gave another sigh. "Well what can you do. I suppose you had no idea. I do go by the name of Jaz but identity plaques cannot be changed so easily," she said, trying to sound dismayed.

At the sound of Jaz, the guards seemed to be more assured of her story. Jaz was a common enough nickname for a girl- for a name like Jasmine, for example. It wouldn't arouse suspicion to people if her full name didn't have to be disclosed.

"Please carry on through," the guard said, keen to make up for his rudeness and also not to hear her rant anymore to him.

Marinette gave a huffy nod, and carried on. As soon as she was out of the guard's sight, she let herself breathe properly for a bit.

But she couldn't wait for long. Soon, the _real _chef would wake-up and alert the guards. And soon, they would realise her bluff and there would be a manhunt for her. She better find that damn boy and get on her way before she got kicked out of this kingdom.

Marinette clenched her jaw and kept walking.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed that chapter! Please favourite, follow and review so I know you're enjoying the story so far!**

**In response to a review for chapter 7...sorry no spoilers :) But thank you for your review!**

**Thank you for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello!**

**Ok, this chapter was super hard to write. I had to rewrite it and other sections because it wasn't working before. And not going to lie, I hit myself in the feels when writing this (*holds back dramatic sob*)**

**Anyway enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Some part of her _finally _realised what a madwoman she was.

She could've just been a patient girlfriend and waited for a letter.

She could have simply understood that he would come back soon, just like he promised, when he was free, and waited for him.

She could have just forgotten him completely.

Those options were _much _better than what she was doing now.

But the truth was, she should have been strong enough not to break down entirely.

Keeping her head as low as she could, Marinette carried the platter to the dinner room by following the cooks in front of her. After she had placed the dish down on the table, she followed the cooks out of the door into the hallway, trailing at the back. When she was certain no-one would notice, she slipped away into another passageway, pretending to look purposeful.

Her eyes darted to areas where there weren't many guards. Luckily, the palace seemed a bit sparse in the hallways. She took off the stolen jacket and shoved it in a corner. If they started looking for her, they would see the jacket and realise she'd been here. So she'd better start moving much farther away from here if she didn't want to get caught.

_Where would he be? _Marinette thought desperately. Her head whipped here to there as she tried to figure out where to go.

There were sounds of people chattering, moving feet and stomping here and there. But then her ears honed onto a particular sound.

A violin. Music. That's where she needed to be.

Trying to pinpoint the location of the melodies, she let her feet guide her. She passed the occasional guard but luckily her work clothes had meant that they believed she was a palace cleaner or some sort of maid.

Some part of her was amazed at the beauty of the palace interior. The glistening walls, bedecked with gems encrusted onto wall decorations and the thoughtful ornaments that were strategically placed here and there made her mind exclaim in wonder.

But her heart and feet were too eager to stay safe so she couldn't dwell on the beauty around her for long.

Eventually, she reached a massive wooden door with elaborate rounded handles. The source of the music most certainly was on the other side.

Marinette's hand was about to touch the handle when a hand grabbed her arm and dragged her away.

She was about to yell when the person that grabbed her spun her by the shoulders and looked at her in the eye. Her breath stopped and she stared, unable to say a word.

"What are you _doing _here?" the voice demanded.

Stood in front of her was him. The person she was looking for. He had found her.

Luka.

"What are you doing here?" Luka demanded again, his eyes flashing and his grip tightening on her shoulders.

"Luka," she breathed. He felt like the fresh air. She needed him. It felt as if she hadn't been able to breathe properly since he had left.

He looked different though. And she didn't know what to make of it.

His long hair, that he would grow and would not allow anyone to cut was now short. The blue ends that made him look like a rebel back in their village, made him appear nonchalant were gone but she noticed little tinges on the ends from where they were cut. His lean body, from having too little to eat at home had now been transformed into more substantial muscle.

But it wasn't just the physical change.

Marinette could almost feel that his _aura _had changed. The cool, calm presence he had radiated in the past was now subdued, more tense and strict. The laxity in his demeanour was gone- he was so purposeful. There was no longer that uncaring, impudent attitude.

Who was he?

Marinette was snapped out of her shock as Luka shook her shoulders.

"Marinette," he said. Even her name on his lips sounded different.

"Luka, you're hurting me," she said, wincing at his grip. He abruptly let go of her and just stared.

"So it's…it's really you," he said, speaking as if in a trance. "I'm not just seeing things then."

"Well I'm no ghost," Marinette tried to joke but the laughter died in her throat. She realised she probably looked more like the dead than the living these days.

Luka shook his head, as if trying to get some sense back into him again, finally realising the danger they were both in. "Follow me," he said tersely.

Luka clearly knew the palace much better than Marinette did, even in the few weeks he had been here. Well, it had almost been a month now so it made some sense for him to know his way around by now, but still, Marinette was surprised at how well he seemed to navigate his way through the winding pathways with such ease.

Luka led her into a small turning and through a door which opened into a chamber. It was clearly his living quarters. He shut the door behind him and turned to face her.

"What in the world were you thinking coming here?" Luka asked her evenly, his voice stern and dangerously low.

Marinette didn't know what to expect when she saw him. A hug, a kiss maybe? Would he hold her face and look into her eyes and ask if was alright? She has been building up this moment for so long.

What she didn't expect was his hostile expression, his tensed posture and the look of disbelief and betrayal in his eyes.

"Luka," Marinette exclaimed softly. "Aren't you-aren't you happy to see me?" she whispered in devastation. Her throat was constricting and her eyes were burning. A wave of nausea rolled over her. The stress was taking its toll on her.

"You're missing the point," he said firmly, jaw taut.

"The point?" she repeated in strong disbelief.

Luka stepped over to her. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Well yes but-"

"You're risking everything I've worked for Marinette," Luka cut her off sharply. "Do you realise that?"

Marinette tried to explain. "I know you've worked hard-"

"Well if you knew that _why did you come_?" he demanded strongly.

She couldn't believe what was happening.

"Why did I come?" Marinette repeated. "There's a reason for everything Luka! I was worried about you! Not just me, your family too!" She gave a sound of disbelief. "Your letters have been getting shorter and shorter and then they just stopped! You think we didn't care?"

Luka's eyes hardened. "Everything has a reason, Marinette," he said icily said back at her. "You of all people should've realised that."

"Why do _I _have to realise everything?" she demanded, her eyes hardening. "Why am I the one who has to understand?"

"Because I thought you cared for me!" Luka burst out. "I told you everything! How much I've worked for this, how much it meant to me. And now you're risking all of it!"

She felt as if she had just been slapped.

"I care," she contested hotly, eyes welling up. "If I hadn't cared, I wouldn't be here. You think I'm risking your job? Well I risked my _life _just to stand here in front of you!" she yelled.

All the hurt, anger, pain and sadness started spilling out of her. There was no stopping these dam of emotions that she'd been forced to hold up these past weeks. Those stolen kisses, the times under the stars felt so long ago and so unreal. Was this the same boy she had shared those with? She couldn't remember. And right now, she didn't want to remember. There was only pain.

"I…I was living like the dead Luka! I didn't feel like smiling, I didn't feel like working, heck some days I didn't even feel like waking up! And _you _did that to me," Marinette said slowly, eyes burning from her tears. "Is it a crime to want to know how you're doing? Was it a crime that I-I," she stammered but swallowed before continuing. "That I _loved _you?" Marinette sobbed.

At that, something within Luka gave. He visibly sunk into himself. His tense stance relaxed and a melancholic look filled his eyes.

The raven-haired girl sank to the floor, her tiny frame shaking with each sob.

"I was…dying. With each day, a part of me was breaking bit by bit. A-and I told myself not to be weak, to be stronger but I-I just couldn't," she stuttered. "I couldn't help it. I wanted to stay strong but I couldn't," she repeated over and over again.

Marinette didn't notice Luka sink to the floor opposite her. She was shaking. The shock of having to lose him once had been hard enough on her, but the fact that he was treating her like this was hurting her more. She knew it. She was too weak. And this weakness would cost her him. Or worse…her life.

"Marinette." She didn't stir at the sound of her name, but kept rocking back and forth, trying to calm herself.

"Marinette," the voice said more insistently this time. She looked forward to see Luka's regretful eyes search hers.

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't realise…how much you suffered."

She kept rocking herself backwards and forwards, hoping the warmth from the action would stop her shaking eventually.

"I, I should've been calmer," Luka admitted, brushing a hand through his chopped hair. "I wasn't thinking and I should've noticed that you weren't well when I saw you but I couldn't believe that…it was you…" Luka trailed off.

"My fault," she whispered sorrowfully. "My fault-"

She couldn't continue as her breath was taken away from a crushing hug. She gasped.

Luka's arms tightly wrapped around her. Slowly, she sank into the hug, becoming calmer as she matched his even breaths. Exhausted, her head sank into his shoulder.

"I've missed you," Luka murmured into her ear.

Marinette didn't reply. 'I missed you' didn't do justice to what she'd gone through. But the toll of the day finally set in and she felt herself drift off into the darkness.

* * *

When Marinette finally came around, she was lying on a bed.

She groaned and tried to sit up. A hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Take it easy. Relax."

Luka's voice filled the room. It was warmer now- he sounded safe, not dangerous or angry like before.

He sat down on the bed at her feet. "How are you feeling?"

Marinette sighed. "Not great but better." She didn't look at him as she spoke. She felt him shift slightly.

"I suppose we need to talk," he began slowly. "But you're too…_tired _right now."

She knew he had been about to say weak but clearly after her breakdown, he decided to change his vocabulary. Thoughtful of him but he needn't shy away from the truth. She was weak. And she hated it.

"No, let's just speak now," Marinette decided. "Who knows how long I have here anyway. They've probably realised there's an intruder in the palace by now."

"You'll be fine here, they won't think to search this area. I can't let you leave tonight, it won't be safe for you."

"Thank you," Marinette replied. She didn't know what else to say.

Luka cleared his throat. "Well, I guess I should start talking then," he said.

Marinette finally looked at him. His hands were clenched and he looked down at his feet.

"When I first arrived at the palace," he began, "I guess I didn't know what to expect. Maybe they would ask us to perform something, like they did when I auditioned. Or teach us how to compose. But instead, we were cooped up in a single room and were made to repeat the same pieces over and over again."

_That must have been awful for him, _Marinette thought. Luka hated following set standards. He was a free soul. Notes flowed in and out effortlessly when he played. And now being forced to repeat the same pieces again and again? She could only imagine his frustration.

"We've performed in front of a few guests so far," Luka said, carrying on. "Most quite important, so that was probably the most exciting thing up till now. But this is where things get complicated."

Luka finally turned to look at her. "There's something going on inside the palace Marinette," he speculated. "I can feel it. There's a reason why we're being made to perform in front of guests and our jobs are at stake each time we perform. These performances are almost like…appeasement," Luka said, brows furrowing.

"Appeasement? What do you mean?" Marinette said, finally speaking.

"We're not just here for entertainment. We're almost like the starter to a feast, willing to grab their attention and make them wait for the main meal." His analogy was strange but Marinette seemed to understand.

"Wait," she said, stopping him. "Do you mean that you're like…making the guests interested…so they stay and wait for more?"

Luka's eyes shined in agreement. "Exactly."

"I've been hanging around sneakily and I've noticed after our performance, talks of trade deals and wealth have been exchanged. They guests are here to see what more the King can offer to them."

"But what's the reason for that?" Marinette wondered.

"I don't know. But I know there must be something more that I just haven't found out yet."

Luka sighed.

"Thing is, I may never find out. Everyone knows there are secrets here and the King is aware of that. He's limited communication greatly. That's one reason I couldn't write so much to you or my family. Even if I wanted to tell you these things, they would've burned my letters up. We had a whole messenger read out the new protocol to us."

Marinette shook her head in annoyance and sat up a little. "Wait, you mean to say they're _controlling _all of you now? I can't believe it! You should be allowed to have your own freedom!" she insisted strongly.

"I know, we were all infuriated to hear that we couldn't write about anything that happens within these palace walls. What else do we write about then?" Luka stated. "Not only that, the new protocol said we cannot invite family members or others inside anymore. That's why I didn't ask you to come visit me.

Holidays and leave permit have been almost impossible to grab as well. These changes have really had everyone up on edge these days and…I guess I've been affected by it too," Luka admitted.

It all started to make more sense now.

"I've been a fool, haven't I?" Marinette thought aloud. "Here I was, thinking you didn't want me here and had forgotten me. That there was another girl, or…I don't know…you decided you were better off here without me." Her head sank. "I can't believe how pitiful I've become in your absence." She should've been the opposite; strong and fierce, like Mrs Couffaine when her husband had left her. A woman Luka would have been proud to be next to. Instead…here she was, a complete utter mess.

"I could _never _forget you Marinette," Luka said softly, inching closer to her and grabbing her wrist. "And…I was wrong to let out my frustration out on you. Things have been hard on all of us and I," he stopped. His head hung a little. "I guess I let it get to me."

"But still," Marinette protested. "I told myself a dozen times not to be a silly, crazed…_obsessive _girlfriend. And that's what I've become!" she lamented. She looked away from him. "But worst of all, I…lost myself. I didn't know what to do without you. I didn't realise…how big a part you were in my life." She sniffled a little. "Sorry, I'm sounding insane again, aren't I?"

Luka stayed silent for a minute or two, letting her recover a little. "Hey," he said gently. With every word they spoke, he was beginning to sound like himself again. The _old _Luka was slowly coming back.

"It wasn't easy for me either," Luka said, his voice getting raspy and thick from emotion. "I thought life was hard before but at least you were there for me when it got hard. Life's harder here but you weren't here this time."

Marinette couldn't believe her ears. All this time she thought that she was the only one who had been hurting. But so had he.

"Look at me Marinette," Luka suddenly said, carefully holding her chin and turning her face to face him. "I…I love you too. And I hope you can forgive the way I reacted when I first saw you, I…I-I was shocked. And…I hope you can forgive me in the future as well," he said, a hazy look covering his eyes.

Marinette's eyes become unfocused and cloudy from the water that had started to build up. "Of course I'll forgive you Luka," she answered him, as she cupped his face gently.

Luka leaned over and kissed her, pulling her close to him. The kiss was gentle but hesitant. Although it hadn't truly been that long of a time since they had been apart, it certainly felt like it to the pair. Luka broke apart first, looking into Marinette's eyes and rubbed his thumb across her cheekbone carefully.

"Let's talk more in the morning. Get some rest," he said, kissing her on the forehead and tucking her back into bed.

Within seconds, Marinette's eyes had fluttered shut, darkness enveloping her vision.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! Adrienette fans don't hate me too much! **

**This argument was honestly really difficult to write, I hate writing them because of the feels and the angst! But I hope I made it realistic enough and I hope I was able to convey how much Marinette was suffering due to the events that have happened in the chapter. **

**Please let me know if this story is going well by dropping a review! And please also favourite and follow, I really appreciate it!**

**Thank you!**


	10. Chapter 10

Marinette scrunched her eyes together, blinking as the morning sunlight hit her face.

She was lying on Luka's bed while Luka lay on the floor, a makeshift bed made from cloth and rags. She blushed a little; her parents would have been livid if they had known she had slept in the same room with a boy. Of course they hadn't _done _anything but people were quick to judge. Staying together before being wedded…well, it wasn't taken well by their society in this era.

Marinette looked at Luka lying with one hand over his head.

Gently, hoping not to wake him, she brushed his hair aside. It was short now but she remembered how nice it was when it had been long. It was still silky and soft. Just like she remembered.

"Mm, you're awake?"

Marinette drew her hand back sharply. "How- how long have you been awake for?" she asked, blood pooling in her cheeks.

Luka blinked his eyes strongly twice, in an attempt to stay awake. "For a few seconds now," he answered. "Something tickled my head."

Marinette looked away and quickly stood up. "Um, I'm really sorry to bother you even more but where can I go for food? And also…the toilet?" she asked, a little embarrassed.

Luka showed her the female toilets and on her return, he passed her a croissant with another in his other hand.

"Saved these before I went to sleep yesterday," Luka said with a small grin, motioning to the buttery breakfast in his palm. "Thought we'd get hungry."

"Thank you," Marinette said shyly.

It felt a little…strange to be around him. He had felt _too _different when she first saw him yesterday. But after they spoke, she felt the old Luka flood back again. He was being a bit more reserved than he had been before, but Marinette hoped they would get back to the same level of comfortability they had. It felt easier with each passing minute. The kiss from last night still lingered on her lips, a hesitant and nervous taste to it.

"Hey," Luka started. Marinette abruptly snapped to the present, letting go of her thoughts.

"So…we need to sort out…stuff," Luka said awkwardly.

Marinette gulped. Yup. There was a lot of stuff to sort.

"I can leave today," Marinette spoke. She tried to sound confident but her voice wavered. If she was being honest with herself, she didn't want to lose him just when she'd found him again.

A storm of thoughts crossed over Luka's face as he thought. There was something he was hiding, she could tell. She'd been able to read him since day one. But what he was hiding, she couldn't figure out.

"Maybe you could stay another two nights. I could pull some strings here and there, I've got some favours I need repaid anyway," he thought carefully.

Marinette tried to act expressionless but her heart was jumping. _Two _more nights? That was more than she could ask for. She had been ready to leave _today_. If she could spend some more time today, that would be enough for her. More than enough. She just wanted to be next to him a little longer.

Trying not to get her hopes up too much, she shuffled nervously. "How would you do that?" she enquired.

"I've made some friends here and there," he said casually. "Perhaps if we could disguise you as a maid or a cook-"

"Not the latter," she interjected. Luka looked at her quizzically. "Trust me. I would be ousted out of there in a heartbeat."

Luka raised an eyebrow. "Okay," he said slowly. "Hmm…maybe working in the stables could be better. They don't pay attention to the people there that much."

The baker's daughter thought about her family's only horse. Pebbles would surely be in the royal stables after the guards captured her yesterday. If she returned home without her, not only would she lose their trusty form of transport, she would also lose a good friend.

"That would be perfect," she said gratefully.

"Alright." Luka gave her a smile and squeezed her hand. "I want to make the most of the time we have together," he said, pulling her into a side hug.

"Me too," she whispered.

* * *

After speaking to a few people here and there, and dodging any prying guards, Marinette finally had a stable worker's uniform donned and a fake ID of a previous worker. She knew that the palace had probably realised an intruder had entered so security was getting tighter. It had been hard to avoid every guard's gaze. Her throat got thicker thinking about all that Luka was doing for her.

No. She couldn't get emotional again. She would stay strong and cherish each moment.

"Ok, you should be alright. Just follow what everyone else is doing, and I'll come and see you as much as I can," Luka told her, clasping her hand. He put his head on hers. "Please…for your sake and mine, don't come and find me," he said softly. "I'm sorry. But it's too risky. I'll come to you."

Marinette felt herself get lost in his warmth. "It's ok. Even seeing you just for a few seconds is enough for me."

"Thank you." Luka kissed her head and with one regretful smile, he left.

Marinette felt her chest heave but she felt herself be patched up again, each moment like a stitch fixing up a hole in a tear of fabric. She felt herself heal surprisingly quickly, amazed at what a few moments with him did to her mentality.

Her gaze wandered around the area. The stench of horse dung hung heavily in the air but she was used to this smell from taking care of Pebbles. The grass on the field looked wondrously green and lush. The sun was bright but not piercing.

The baker's daughter didn't have much time to mull things though. She had to find Pebbles.

Luckily, it wasn't hard. She was waiting for her, recently groomed and fed in a stable next to the other horses.

The mare neighed softly when she saw her owner.

"I missed you too," Marinette said softly as she hugged her. "I'm so glad you're ok. I'm so sorry I had to leave you like that too," she said, feeling guilt at the thought of her abandoning her dear companion.

Luckily for Marinette, the rest of the day was pretty uneventful. No-one came to bother her or the other workers and it wasn't hard following suite. Luka came twice to see her, giving her some lunch to eat and another time on his break to check she was alright. It felt like before. She smiled as she wrapped up for the day.

Luka had insisted that she slept in his bed and he sleep on the floor, despite her protests.

"I can handle it," she said stubbornly. "Don't think I'm fragile."

"You're not," he agreed. "But it's not polite to make a lady sleep on the floor."

She sighed. If there was anyone as obstinate as her, it would be Luka.

As she lay on her back, her hand fell down from her side and met his, brushing it gently.

They fell asleep like that, their fingertips softly touching.

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**I understand the story might feel a little slow at the minute, but as a writer I really don't want to rush into the main parts of the story. I really want to portray to you, the reader, every single emotion and hurdle that comes in Marinette's way and make this as realistic as possible and with as many details as necessary. **

**Also, I was debating whether to post the next chapter early but I've realised that this chapter is a calm one. There's going to be a bit of storm coming soon...!**

**Thank you for the lovely reviews so far! Please review again as this is the only way I know if the story is good (fingers crossed) and please favourite and follow too!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello!**

**I'm so sorry I'm late by two weeks *sobs*. I was on holiday but now I'm back!**

**Posting two chapters to make up for the time, hope you enjoy it! **

**Sidenote- I've finally caught up on the new miraculous episodes and I have been freaking out over them-anyone else?**

**Anyway, on with the story!**

* * *

The two nights had passed. Her heart constricted at the thought of leaving.

She was in the stable again, working with the horses for the last time. Because tonight she would be gone from here.

Luckily for her, the two days had been lucky for her. She had worked quietly but diligently in the stables, and the guards hadn't bothered them. Perhaps they had stopped the searches now.

But today she had to leave. And leaving would be harder than entering. Luka had told her already how hard it had been for people to leave and see their families.

_I shouldn't be greedy, _Marinette thought, biting her lower lip. _But if only there was more time for us._

Her head hung low in sadness. This was the last time she'd see Luka for a long time. Who knows when he'd get a holiday? But she felt renewed. She would be able to stay strong this time. She wouldn't break into pieces like did last time. She _would _stay strong. A newfound strength coursed through her, and she felt her resolve firming and she knew it, true as ever, that she would be fine this time around. It would be difficult no doubt, but the outcome would be better. She would not worry those around her.

"Attention workers!"

Marinette's head snapped up. What was going on?

"Please form an orderly line and follow me," a guard bellowed. "Mandatory security checks will be occurring so get your IDs ready."

Marinette cursed under her breath. Of course her stay couldn't go without a hitch. She had been this close to leaving peacefully and quietly.

They must have been tightening security more than Luka knew. _Dammit, _Marinette thought. _The guard at the entrance knows my face,_ she thought, staring ahead._ If I bump into him, it's going to be over._

She tucked her dark hair into her cap as much as possible and smeared some dirt across her arms and cheeks in an attempt to conceal her face. She pulled the cap down as far as it would go.

"Pebbles," she whispered to her trusty steed. "I'll come for you. And then you'll have to run as fast as you've ever ran," Marinette predicted. Pebbles neighed, almost too intelligently for a horse. With a wane smile, Marinette fell into the line with the other stable workers, keeping her eyes and head low.

The line started trudging slowly. Luckily, there was only one guard and he was leading the way.

She dragged her feet, and was eventually overtaken by the others and she was last in line.

_If I get to the checking point, they'll know I was the intruder, _her mind theorised. _I have to get away before that_.

As the line of workers turned around a corner, Marinette slipped onto a different corridor, pressing her back against the wall and waiting for them to go further ahead.

Thanks to her sharp mind, she had familiarised these corridors in the past two days. She made her way to Luka's quarters.

Shutting the door, she heaved a breath. She would be safe for a bit. But how would she tell Luka where she was?

She would just have to wait. He would have to come and collect new clothes for when he showered, anyway. In the meantime, there was nothing else to do except do nothing.

Marinette slumped to the floor, her heart beating painfully against her chest.

* * *

When he finally arrived, Luka started a little when he saw her.

"Mari-what are you doing here?" he exclaimed in surprise.

She grabbed his wrists. "I don't have much time," she said, her eyes wide.

In a few minutes, she had told him of all that happened. His brows started to inch closer together until they were no longer separate.

"We'll have to disguise you again," Luka thought carefully. "Into a group they've already checked." His hands ran through his hair. "They checked us, but since there's a few of us, they know all of us too well. Maybe…wait!"

Marinette jumped at his sudden revelation. "Did something come to mind?"

"My friend's sister is a maid but she's with her family. I doubt they remember who's left the palace considering all the checks happening now. If I can talk to her, maybe you can disguise yourself as her!"

Marinette nodded. "I'll take anything I can get," she admitted.

"Ok. Let's not waste time. Follow me."

It took almost half an hour before they could successfully find Luka's friend.

Luka for one had to attend a practice session because they had an important recital coming up soon. He made an excuse and left as soon as he could, he said to her. Marinette felt so bad with every passing moment; she was getting in the way of his work so much. But there was little she could do. Staying alive and not getting caught had become the priority now.

Her thoughts vanished as he took her arm and strode purposefully through corridors, eventually reaching a type of storage room. There was a man stood there folding clothes, a huge pile next to him.

"Ivan," Luka said and the man turned around. Marinette blinked in surprise.

He towered over her but his eyes were kind. He gave a small, shy smile at Luka but scrunched his brows when he saw Marinette.

"A favour," Luka begged.

Ivan nodded but didn't say a word. Luka took him to one side and conversed quietly but urgently with him.

Ivan didn't even question anything. Luka gestured for Marinette to follow him. "You can trust him," he assured her.

She gulped but squared her shoulders and followed the man through another door. This time, she was hit with scents of bubbles and soap and fresh linen. _This must be the laundry room, _she thought.

"Mylène," Ivan called, speaking for the first time. Marinette scanned the room to find who he spoke to.

Her eyes found a petite woman shoving clothes and sheets into a huge bucket filled with soap. She turned around when she heard Ivan and smiled.

Mylène looked at Marinette in surprise. "Is everything alright, Ivan?" she asked him, looking at him first then at Marinette.

Ivan passed her a slip of paper and Mylène quickly scanned it. A myriad of emotions passed her face as she read through the note. Eventually she spoke.

"Ah," she said in understanding. "Well Ivan, carry on, I'll take over from here," she said kindly, squeezing his forearm affectionately. Ivan's ears went red, Marinette noticed, as he left the room.

"I'm afraid he doesn't speak much," Mylène explained to Marinette, as she walked over to some cupboards and grabbed clothes.

"Oh," Marinette responded, not knowing what to say. "So you um…know of the situation at hand, I presume?" she asked, a little uncomfortable.

Mylène just smiled as she handed Marinette some clothes. "We trust Luka. He's been nothing but courteous to us both. Don't see that often around here," Mylène said, a tinge of sorrow in her voice. She smiled again and pointed to a door. "You can change there," she said.

"Thank you," Marinette smiled, bowing a little to show her respect. She walked over to the wooden door and opened it.

It led her inside to a small broom-cupboard like space. Without wasting time, she threw the clothes on. After changing, she looked at herself. She could most likely pass as a typical maid.

"Ah, you fit the part perfectly!" Mylène exclaimed but soon, her expression turned serious. "Now listen carefully," she whispered to Marinette. "I overheard from one of the other maids that they're taking stricter measures for the intruder in the palace. Apparently a chef had been knocked out in the process."

At that, she felt her ears flush warmly but she tried desperately not to let her face betray her. She kept listening.

"They're checking everyone's IDs at all moments now. My sister works here too but she's been granted leave for a few days to visit home. But don't worry- I have her spare ID with me," Mylène winked.

She strode over and grabbed a cloth. "Here," she said, handing it over to Marinette. "Hide as much of your face as you can with this. I've tucked my sister's ID into your pocket. That should be able to keep you safe for a while. Getting out though…I'm afraid you'll have to use your wits for that."

A lump grew in Marinette's throat. A person she barely even knew was helping her to avoid punishment. All of a sudden, she felt guilt wash strongly over her. Why had she come here in the first place? Why did she risk so much?

The answer came to her easily though. _For him._

But despite that, she had really sunken low this time. If she had just stayed sane, and decided to leave Luka alone and wait, like any other _normal _person, everything would have been fine.

But there was no changing the past. She had been too crazy for him. And she still was. Crazy enough to have done all of this and landed herself, and him, in this mess.

"Thank you," Marinette croaked out. She clasped Mylène's hands. "You've done so much. More than I could have ever deserved."

Mylène's eyes softened. "I'm glad I could help. Now go wherever you need to go."

Marinette nodded and hoisting her skirts up, she walked back the same way she entered. She saw Ivan.

"Thank you," she called and he nodded to her.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Oh yeah I should mention- emotional turmoil may or may not be present...*raises eyebrows***

* * *

"Marinette are you done-" Luka's voice trailed off as he saw her. A reddish tinge filled his cheeks and he looked away quickly.

"You, um, look…just right," he finally said. Marinette couldn't help but smile at his funny and awkward antics, despite the peril she was in.

"Anyway," he said, his eyes turning serious once again. "I have to go back to the practice room. It's the last rehearsal before the performance tonight. I-I'm sorry," he said haggardly. "I can't even give you a proper goodbye. I have to leave now."

Marinette's breath hitched in her throat. Was this really…farewell?

Luka's eyes were not clear as he took her hand and kissed it. He let her hand gently drop and with a regretful look back, went the other way, back to the practice room.

She could feel the stitches that had put her back together in the last few days unravel again but she couldn't fall apart again. She wouldn't.

She walked out of the laundry room, her veil covering her face and walked sluggishly onto the corridor.

That…wasn't even a proper goodbye. He didn't have the time to tell her he loved her? That he'd miss her? To be safe on her way back, and that despite the circumstances, he'd write to her somehow? He would come as fast as he could and hold her again?

_I'm already crazy. Might as well go another step further, _she thought. She really wasn't thinking straight.

Maybe there were many people that lived in this kingdom. But none were as obstinate and stubborn as her. And she was not leaving.

At least not without a proper goodbye. She'd risked much too much for that.

Feeling like she was walking into another tangled mess, the raven-haired girl lowered her headcloth even more and decided to look for him.

_If only I could remember where the music room was, _she thought in annoyance.

"You there!"

By thinking too deeply, Marinette had let her guard down and failed to notice a pair of feet approach her.

She curtsied, trying to keep her head low.

"Show me your ID," he said, his voice gruff.

Marinette fished around in her pocket and pulled it out. She handed it over.

The guard took it from her and took some time to check. After what seemed like a lifetime he finally said: "Ok, you can go."

Marinette curtsied and walked on, breathing a sigh of relief, as she heard him walk away.

For ages, Marinette kept walking. Luck must have been on her side because no-one else bothered her. But clearly she needed more luck because she couldn't find the music room anywhere.

All of a sudden, Marinette heard a shrill voice speaking. She quickly turned into a corner and pressed her back against the wall.

"Well of _course _it was courteous of the King to invite us here," a shrieking voice of a woman said. "But I simply cannot understand why we are having a tour of the _entire _palace for! I only wanted to see the gardens and the royal jewels!"

"I'm sorry ma'am," another voice sounded, this one delicate and meek. "But our musicians are not quite ready to greet you yet. They need to be served some light refreshments and only then-"

"_Refreshments!" _the lady screeched. "For goodness sake, if that was the case I would've just left already! What was the use in delaying me for this long!"

Marinette decided she had found her way to see Luka after all. As she heard the maid apologise profusely, Marinette headed over to where this adventure all began.

The kitchens.

Marinette traipsed herself to the kitchens, after walking around in circles for what seemed like forever. When she finally smelt food cooking, she tried to perk up but her body wasn't up to it.

As she walked in, veil low on her head, she heard screaming and yelling of orders and instructions. She really had to be ready for anything- she had to remind herself she couldn't get caught.

Marinette looked at a chef who seemed to be pretty calm. He was the odd one out though- the rest were all red in the face, sweat sticking to their foreheads and nostrils flared from anger and frustration due to a ton of orders that had been placed on their plates.

"Excuse me," Marinette spoke tentatively, "I'm here to collect the refreshments for the musicians before their performance."

The chef didn't even bother to turn around. "Ah yes," he said pleasantly, as he carried on stirring what seemed to be soup or a broth. "We were wondering when someone would come collect it. It's just the long plate in the centre dear," he said.

Bowing politely, Marinette quickly shuffled her way to the plates of arranged food. Keeping her head low, she took the plate that matched the chef's description.

"Where do you think you're going?" a woman's voice sounded.

Marinette froze. Trying not to make her voice tremble, she nodded her head down to show her respect but kept her veil low. "Taking the refreshments for the musicians, ma'am," she said politely.

"Oh, in that case, that's perfect! These girls are heading over to the musicians right now too! Come along girls," the woman said.

Marinette took a quick peek.

The woman was robust and clearly a figure of authority. Other maids that wore uniforms like Marinette were in a gaggle around her.

She took a breath to calm herself. It would be fine as long as she didn't need to lead the way.

"You there! Lead the way!"

Marinette internally sighed, although she could have given a cry of desperation. She had spoken- no thought- too soon.

Circling on her heel, she walked forwards. She tried to stride confidently but eventually she was lost. Again.

One of the girls had fallen into line with her. Marinette nudged her.

"You know the way? I'm new here," Marinette whispered.

"Oh!" the girl exclaimed softly. "You should've said before! I'll take over," she said cheerfully.

"Thank you," Marinette whispered back. She didn't let out the sigh of relief that was building inside of her but she was pretty damn close.

Before long, they had reached the music room.

Marinette took a steadying breath. She would just say goodbye. That's all.

They stepped inside. Marinette gently lifted her veil. She had never been here before.

The room was cream-coloured, a buttery texture on the walls. A chandelier graced the roof while the smell of rosin was in the air as the musicians applied it on their bows for their stringed instruments. A glossy black grand piano was there in the corner with a flower vase atop it. And an array of instruments were all showcased on tables and on little stands.

Marinette kept getting reminded of the beauty in the palace. And the music room certainly didn't fail to impress her.

But she had a plan. And she had to fulfil it.

Her eyes scanned the room. And her eyes found him.

He was sitting on the opposite side of the room, alone, with a guitar in his hands. His skilful hands deftly tuned the strings and he placed the guitar down, picking another to do the same.

Marinette calmed her nerves and walked over to him, platter in her hands. She placed it beside him.

"Refreshments sir," she announced.

"I'm fine," Luka began, trying to wave her off but he stopped abruptly when he looked at her. His dark eyes widened at the sight of her and she could see the cogs in his head turning.

"Actually, why don't you come with me? If we place this here, we could spill the food and ruin the instruments."

He stood up and took a quick look to see if anyone had noticed their exchange. Luckily, everyone else was busy paying attention to the foods and had immersed themselves in taking the fruits and breads that had been presented to them.

Luka quietly and quickly walked to the back where there was a door. He opened it and Marinette quickly made her way over.

Placing the plate on a small table, she looked around. It seemed like a small storage room. There were a few cluttered sheets of music on the shelves and a few music stands as well.

"Marinette! What are you _doing_?" He looked frantic, seriously worried. "Someone could find you out here! You're in so much danger!" Luka gripped her shoulders, the tension in his arms conveying his frightened state.

Marinette turned her attention to Luka. She felt herself be calm and collected again from his touch. "I didn't get a proper goodbye. And I am not leaving here without it." She gave a sad smile to him, telling him she wasn't afraid.

Luka seemed to notice the sincerity in her eyes. He loosened his grip on her and hung his head. "Maybe it was a good thing you came," he sighed almost ruefully.

The blue-eyed girl looked at him carefully. She knew him better than anyone. "Luka…what do you mean? What's going on?" she asked, afraid. He was hiding something. She knew it.

Luka looked shattered. "Listen. I don't have much time and neither do you. My fear is that you-you're going to hate me. I just hope you can forgive me someday."

Marinette's blood was turning to ice every second, her veins risking to fragment into shards at his ominous tone. She could barely speak but she croaked out. "Luka…tell me what's going on."

Luka looked at her. He took a long pause before he spoke.

"Marinette…," he began, his hands shaking. "This may be the last time we can see each other."

She gulped. "Well, I understand now you can't speak beyond these walls so I know you can't write and whatnot and holidays will be sparse-"

"No."

Marinette gawked at him. "No?" she repeated.

The guitarist took a steadying breath before continuing. "I'm so, so sorry for not telling you sooner Marinette," he began, his voice shaking.

_No, no, no._

"I'm le-leaving tomorrow. All the musicians are. The king has ordered us to tour the other kingdoms in hopes to pacify them and get them on our side. The intention is…is to entertain the other royals, give them gifts and propose new trade deals." His voice was quivering with each sentence.

_This cannot be happening. No._

"I only hinted at this before to you, Marinette, but there are secrets and plotting and all sorts of things happening within these walls. And now because of that, I'm being forced to be a part of it too," Luka said acidly. He lowered his head. "I cannot believe how naïve I was. Thinking I was getting my dream job."

Luka kept on speaking but none of it was going through her head. Only one thing was.

_He's leaving. He's leaving me._

Marinette collapsed to the floor.

* * *

**As a reader I hate cliffhangers. But as an author I love them! We're not bad, we just like to let the bigger picture settle in later :D**

**Hope you enjoyed that chapter! The pace may feel slow at parts but the reason for that is because I really want you, as the reader, to experience every little detail and part that happens here. I really want to capture the character's feelings and thoughts, the actions they do and the how they see the world around them.**

**Also, Luka's message to Marinette was hinted in previous chapters...did you find it? **

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter and please look forward to more! Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey!**

**I'm sorry I'm a week late again T_T I'm not very good at this regular updating thing am I...**

**I will try and upload as frequently as I can but things may get a bit haphazard now because my college year is starting again. So I will be swamped with work (I mean it).**

**But I will try to post regularly!**

**Anyway...on with the story! Not gonna lie, I almost shed a tear writing one part and again while reading it *sniffs* **

* * *

"Marinette!" a voice said urgently in her ear.

Her eyes snapped open. She grabbed his wrist, which was on her shoulder, with her two hands.

"You can't be leaving. Not again," she murmured fitfully.

Luka's eyes were broken. "I'm so sorry for the pain I've caused Marinette. Words cannot explain how remorseful I am."

He clasped her, holding her tight against him as they lay crouched on the floor, whispering how he was sorry over and over again.

Marinette's cheeks were damp but suddenly, she felt as if there were no more tears left.

In a split-second of a moment, she thought about everything, consoled herself and gathered herself together.

Marinette hadn't realised how dependent she had been on Luka. Perhaps she was in love with the idea of love, or maybe the fact that someone thought similarly to her in a place where prejudices existed but she had totally and utterly become dependant on him. A single letter, a word or a song. It didn't matter what it was; she clutched at anything he gave her and had moulded a piece of pottery with it.

But now that pottery was breaking. When she had made it, she hadn't realised how fragile it would become when it hardened and set with the distance of being away from him.

She had poured her heart and soul into this very piece of artwork, and to see it shatter had left her numb. This creation of hers, very singular in its being, was no more.

In her mind's eye, the girl picked up the broken pieces of pottery. It was beautiful but it was broken.

The girl that was dependant, so taken with the idea of love was no more.

What was left were the small broken pieces, each shard sharp and painful.

What was left was the burning kiln that had shut its doors. It wouldn't be making another piece like this for a long time, if ever.

Now what was left over was only hard resolve.

She gently pushed him away. "Let's meet under better circumstances Luka," she said, her voice catching at the farewell. The _proper _farewell. Maybe she should've just taken that pathetic parting before and been happy with it. Because that had hurt a lot less.

"Thanks to you," she began again, "my life…shined a bit more in this dull, bleak world. We didn't spend much time together but…whatever we did share was good." It was true. As bitter as she felt, these words were true.

Luka's eyes glistened. "I've never met a girl like you, Marinette," he said with a sad, rueful smile. "And I doubt I ever will. The next time we meet, I'll be better for you. Because clearly I did things wrong this time."

She didn't know if she wanted to see him ever again. But she kept that to herself.

Clutching each other's hands, knowing there wasn't much time left for either of them, they stared at each other carefully.

"Kiss me Luka," Marinette said suddenly. "Kiss me so I can forget everything. Kiss me so I can forget _you_," she said, her eyes threatening to spill.

Luka gently cupped her face, his own heart breaking into fragments. He leaned in and kissed her.

That kiss was the reminder of everything they'd been. It encompassed all the short moments they shared, all those stolen moments under the night sky, all the melodies he'd played for her. The two misfits who thought that they'd fit, discovered they were not only misfits in this world, but also the wrong fit for each other.

It was heart-breaking.

it was filled with longing of what could have been if things had been different. It was a seal of goodbye.

"Take the first exit left and then two consecutive rights. It will lead you to the animal barn. Security is lax there so you should be able to leave easily," Luka said to her when they broke apart. This was his final gift to her, so she could go back, back to before all of this madness had even happened.

Marinette nodded and smiled at him. "Goodbye, Luka," she said slowly, as she stood up and left.

_Goodbye._

* * *

**Sorry for the shorter chapter but I hope you still enjoyed it!**

**I hope you liked my pottery metaphor. It came to me and it felt quite fitting.**

**I love Lukanette but I also love Adrienette. To me, Adrienette is the ultimate destiny. It will happen because it is _meant_ to happen. **

**But Lukanette intrigues me because it is what _could_ have happened. And to me, those _what if _ moments are what get me thinking and excite me.**

**I recently read the Vampire Academy Series and the Bloodline series by Richelle Mead and I absolutely fell in love with them. (Have you guys read them? Let me know!) **

**There were two characters that were not meant to be. They eventually ended up with their soulmates. But their relationship was likened to an injury: one of them was a crutch, holding the other up. They weren't meant to be because she didn't make him better- she just supported his bad habits. And when he finally found the one for him, he became better. He wasn't injured- he was being healed.**

**Although this chapter was written before I finished those novels, I realised how similar I made Luka and Marinette's relationship. It's not improving anyone. They are stuck in harmful cycles. So I think this will be important in future chapters which I have yet to write.**

**Sorry for going off tangent but I do like to explain my thoughts like this! Hope it wasn't boring *sweats nervously***

**Please review, favourite and follow! Shoutout to _Lilly __Flower_ for your lovely reviews! I read every single review and positive comments really help me a lot! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey. Sorry for the late upload. There is a long author's note at the end of the chapter. **

**I really hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Marinette was becoming more and more reckless as she walked through the palace. She wasn't checking corners, she wasn't even trying to actively avoid the guards. She just didn't _care_.

Shattered and broken, she was engaging in dangerous behaviour by not caring about her safety. But she forced herself to think straight. Because otherwise Lu…_his _generosity would have been for nothing.

Marinette grabbed her skirts and walked quickly. It took every instinct within her not to run. Every muscle in her body was screaming at her to run, leave this place as quickly as she possibly could. But she reigned herself in.

_Almost there_, she encouraged herself. _One more right turn and then I should be out_.

She stopped abruptly as she saw two pairs of boots in front of her.

Marinette cursed inside her head. They had guarded every exit.

"ID please," a guard said, and she passed over the fake ID Mylène had given her.

"That's fine, you can pass," the guard on her right said. She curtsied politely and walked through the door.

"Hang on a second," the guard on her left spoke as she was shutting the door behind her. "Aren't you going to ask what business she has in the barn out this late?"

"She's a maid. There's probably some sort of message or task she has to do."

Marinette's heart hammered as she kept listening. The door and walls were surprisingly thin.

"But there are stable workers for that. And why did she cover her face?"

"Look kiddo, I know you haven't been doing this job for long but nothing exciting happens, okay? So stop being so suspicious. If you're that concerned, go and ask her yourself."

_Oh no_, she thought. Without missing a beat, Marinette hitched her skirts up and started running.

She heard the footsteps running before he yelled.

"Hey! Hey you, wait!"

Another string of profanity almost escaped her lips. If she didn't stop, he would alert the rest of the guards. And then it would be _impossible _for her to leave without getting caught.

A plan formulated in her head as she stopped and let him catch up to her.

"I'm sorry for bothering you miss, I wasn't trying to scare you-AH!"

Marinette didn't let him finish as she spun around and tripped him up. She jumped on him and pressed her forearm against his throat.

"Look I don't want to hurt you," she began, "so please don't yell otherwise I will-"

"You're that girl!" the guard rasped out, unable to speak properly because of her choking hold on him.

"I'm not falling for your distractions!" Marinette warned him, a little bit of hysteria creeping into her voice.

"You…you, boat, thief…market," he gasped.

Realisation dawned on her and she hurriedly removed her arm from his throat. She stepped off him but stayed on her guard just in case he made a move.

The guard was too busy coughing, struggling not to retch. "That was…quite a hold you…had there," he said in breaks, still gasping for air but looking better by the minute.

"Ah, I'm really sorry about that," Marinette said, trying to sound apologetic as she could.

"Don't be! Best challenge I've faced since I got this job and that's saying something!"

Marinette couldn't help but smile at his different way of thinking. "You, uh, remember me from that time?" she prompted.

"You're hard to forget," the guard said, as he slowly stood up. He gave her an excited look. "The daring lady who took on the thief? Well we still talk about you sometimes when we get bored! Oh wait until I tell the rest of them I saw you!"

"Whoa whoa, slow down there!" Marinette exclaimed. "You can't do that!"

The guard looked confused. "Why not?"

She sighed, a little exasperated. "I don't have much time so listen carefully." She didn't know what made her feel like she could trust him but considering he hadn't called for back-up yet, she decided to give him a chance.

She explained her story, of how she snuck in to see…_him _and now how she had to leave. Her throat constricted at some parts but she continued. His eyes grew wider from amazement.

"I can't…believe what I'm hearing," he said in a daze. "Either our security is lousy or you're one extraordinary girl. I'm voting for the latter."

Marinette couldn't help but laugh at his words. "Trust me I mean no harm!" she said quickly. "I just…felt compelled to do it."

"I can understand where you're coming from. But you can't do something like this again."

"Oh, I don't plan to, believe me," she said, sorrow and bitterness filling her words.

The guard looked at her sadly. He was young, maybe younger than her by a few years.

"Tell you what. I guarantee you safe exit and you promise me you won't ever try and break in again. How's that?"

Marinette's head snapped up, her eyes bulging. "Wait…what? You would do that…for me?" she asked, incredulous.

The guard pulled his ear nervously. "Well…we've met before, so we're not exactly strangers. I even gave you that flyer, remember?"

Her thoughts drifted. Oh. That. Now that was something that had played on her mind a lot before all of this mess. That was him who gave her that? Fate had a strange way of coming back in a circle in on itself.

"So I figure I can do a favour for an acquaintance. Considering you did us all a favour by catching that thief in that marketplace last time."

Marinette smiled warmly at him. "I…I cannot thank you enough."

The boy grinned. "Just promise. No more break-ins here."

She gave a small laugh, nodding. "I promise." Strange how a few moments ago, she was almost in tears. Happiness could be found in the strangest of places indeed.

"In that case, follow me."

Marinette follow the guard boy. They walked in silence. "Wait," Marinette said suddenly. "My horse. She's here. I can't leave without her." She looked at the guard. "Give me a few seconds," she pleaded.

"Okay," he nodded but his eyes were a darting nervously here and there. "Be quick, my comrade might wonder what's taking so long."

She nodded and ran.

"Pebbles!" she called softly. "Come on my dear, there's not much time for us," she called again, insistently.

A soft neigh answered her and the clip-clopping sound of hooves came from behind.

She turned to see her dear companion and nuzzled her long nose. "You are by far the smartest horse there ever was," she proclaimed. "Now come on. Do you remember I told you we may have to run, like never before? Well, I have a feeling the time to run may have arrived."

She mounted her horse swiftly and with a quick tug of the reins, Pebbles galloped forwards.

Marinette stopped where the guard was waiting. "Thank you for waiting," she said, really meaning it.

He nodded, smiling at Pebbles. "Beautiful horse you have. But quick, I think the other guards may arrive soon."

Making Pebbles canter instead of gallop, the guard ran beside her. "Over there," he pointed. The gate was locked. "We need to get there as fast as we can." He pressed a key into her hands.

"I can hear the guards coming in the distance," the guard boy explained quickly. "I'm going to pretend you overpowered me and you stole my key. Don't leave your ID behind and don't drop anything except the key. Tell your horse to run as fast as it can." His tone was insistent and urgent.

"I…I don't know how to thank you," Marinette stuttered. Her head whipped behind her as she heard shouts and yells, this time sounding closer.

"If it's possible, do me a favour."

"Anything," she said.

"Remember my name. Nathaniel. And consider that flyer I gave you. I mean it," he said, and his voice truly did back up his claim. It was firm yet gentle.

"Now go," he said with a smile.

Marinette gave smiled down at him from her horse. "I won't forget you Nathaniel," she promised. "And," she hesitated but looked at his expectant face. "I'll…consider it," she finally said.

With a last nod, Marinette urged Pebbles to run and just in time she did too.

The guards were almost upon them. Nathaniel quickly collapsed to the ground and pretended as if he was struggling to stand up. He was really playing his part to keep her safe. So many people she barely knew had helped her today. She choked back her tears of gratitude and looked ahead.

With one twist of the lock, Marinette opened the gates and she threw the key onto the grass below, like Nathaniel said, so the guards wouldn't have to make a new one in the future. Tightening her grip on the reigns, Marinette pulled and Pebbles lurched forwards, running faster than ever before.

Marinette didn't look back.

But unwillingly, a part of her heart, which had been left back there, did.

* * *

**Hey guys. I have a confession to make. I apologise for the long message. **

**My work for my degree has started again and I'm really struggling to find time for story writing. I love it, and I really appreciate the support I get from you, my readers.**

**My mental health has been pretty crap recently, and I only just realised that properly today. So I'm going to try and find a solution to my problems rather than struggle with them.**

**I cannot say how grateful I am to see a new person favourite and follow my stories. Each positive review makes me feel warm and happy. Thank you to my current and existing readers- you all are amazing.**

**I will NOT abandon this story- I am way too excited about this story and too invested in it. However, it isn't fair for me to keep leading you guys on so I need to make it clear that my uploads will be very infrequent and quite inconsistent from now on. **

**That means, when I find the time to write a good chapter, and when I find the time to upload, I WILL do so. But if I cannot find the time, I'm afraid I will not upload.**

**I'm so sorry for this disappointment. But thank you for supporting me all this time. This is not the end- please, please wait for more. I cannot promise when the next chapter will be uploaded, but it WILL be uploaded. **

**Thank you for understanding and once again, thank you for reading. **

**Please wait for Destiny's Strings- there are many chapters that are left. The story is DEFINITELY NOT finished. **

**Thank you. **


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